<p>China has recently completed the construction of the most powerful wind tunnel in the world, located in the mountainous Huairou district of northern Beijing. The wind tunnel, called JF-22, has a diameter of 4 metres (13 feet) and can generate incredibly high airflow speeds of up to 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) per second. This makes it capable of simulating hypersonic flight conditions up to Mach 30, which is 30 times the speed of sound.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Tunnel to support China’s hypersonic ambitions</strong></h2>

<p>The Institute of Mechanics, which owns the facility, stated that the JF-22 wind tunnel will play a crucial role in advancing China's hypersonic ambitions. The tunnel will support research and development efforts for China's space transport system and hypersonic aircraft,&nbsp;as well as for military purposes.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;US confirms China's hypersonic missile test with concern</strong></p>

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<p>The Chinese government has set ambitious goals to deploy a fleet of hypersonic aircraft by 2035, capable of carrying passengers into space and reaching any point on Earth within an hour.</p>

<h2><strong>Why is hypersonic tunnel important for China?</strong></h2>

<p>Hypersonic flight poses significant challenges, including extreme heat and pressure, stable flight trajectories, and passenger safety. At hypersonic speeds, air molecules surrounding an aircraft become highly compressed and heated, leading to molecular dissociation, where the molecules break apart and react with each other. Understanding this complex physics is essential for the development of hypersonic aircraft.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/scientist-working-in-uk-for-last-20-years-joins-chinas-hypersonic-programme-592323"><strong>Also read:&nbsp;Scientist working in UK for last 20 years joins China’s hypersonic programme</strong></a></p>

<p>Wind tunnels, like the JF-22, provide a controlled laboratory environment for studying hypersonic flight phenomena. Researchers can study how hypersonic vehicles interact with their surroundings and develop new technologies to enhance performance and safety. Additionally, wind tunnel testing helps identify potential problems or design flaws before building and flying actual vehicles, reducing the risk of failure or accidents and hence saving resources.</p>

<h2><strong>How powerful winds are generated in the hypersonic tunnel?</strong></h2>

<p>The JF-22 wind tunnel stands out due to its innovative approach. Instead of using traditional expansion methods to generate airflow, the lead scientist, Professor Jiang Zonglin, proposed a new shock wave generator called a "reflected direct shock wave driver."&nbsp;</p>

<p>This system utilises a series of precisely timed explosions to create shock waves that converge and generate high-speed airflow in the wind tunnel. Although this method has drawbacks such as noise, air pollution, and safety concerns, it allows for rapid and intense bursts of energy required for hypersonic testing.</p>

<p>The JF-22 wind tunnel has been evaluated by a team of 16 independent experts, who praised its performance and labelled it as "world-leading."<br />
<br />
Together with the JF-12 wind tunnel, which simulates flight conditions up to Mach 9, these facilities provide a comprehensive experimental platform for testing near-space vehicles. By combining the data from both wind tunnels, researchers can gain a better understanding of materials and designs under various flight conditions, ultimately improving the performance and reliability of hypersonic weapons and aircraft.</p>

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China has recently completed the construction of the most powerful wind tunnel in the world, located in the mountainous Huairou district of northern Beijing. The wind tunnel, called JF-22, has a diameter of 4 metres (13 feet) and can generate incredibly high airflow speeds of up to 10 kilometres (6.

China has recently completed the construction of the most powerful wind tunnel in the world, located in the mountainous Huairou district of northern Beijing. The wind tunnel, called JF-22, has a diameter of 4 metres (13 feet) and can generate incredibly high airflow speeds of up to 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) per second. This makes it capable of simulating hypersonic flight conditions up to Mach 30, which is 30 times the speed of sound. Tunnel to support China’s hypersonic ambitions The Institute of Mechanics, which owns the facility, stated that the JF-22 wind tunnel will play a crucial role in advancing China's hypersonic ambitions. The tunnel will support research and development efforts for China's space transport system and hypersonic aircraft, as well as for military purposes. Watch: US confirms China's hypersonic missile test with concern × The Chinese government has set ambitious goals to deploy a fleet of hypersonic aircraft by 2035, capable of carrying passengers into space and reaching any point on Earth within an hour. Why is hypersonic tunnel important for China? Hypersonic flight poses significant challenges, including extreme heat and pressure, stable flight trajectories, and passenger safety. At hypersonic speeds, air molecules surrounding an aircraft become highly compressed and heated, leading to molecular dissociation, where the molecules break apart and react with each other. Understanding this complex physics is essential for the development of hypersonic aircraft. Also read: Scientist working in UK for last 20 years joins China’s hypersonic programme Wind tunnels, like the JF-22, provide a controlled laboratory environment for studying hypersonic flight phenomena. Researchers can study how hypersonic vehicles interact with their surroundings and develop new technologies to enhance performance and safety. Additionally, wind tunnel testing helps identify potential problems or design flaws before building and flying actual vehicles, reducing the risk of failure or accidents and hence saving resources. How powerful winds are generated in the hypersonic tunnel? The JF-22 wind tunnel stands out due to its innovative approach. Instead of using traditional expansion methods to generate airflow, the lead scientist, Professor Jiang Zonglin, proposed a new shock wave generator called a "reflected direct shock wave driver." This system utilises a series of precisely timed explosions to create shock waves that converge and generate high-speed airflow in the wind tunnel. Although this method has drawbacks such as noise, air pollution, and safety concerns, it allows for rapid and intense bursts of energy required for hypersonic testing. The JF-22 wind tunnel has been evaluated by a team of 16 independent experts, who praised its performance and labelled it as "world-leading." Together with the JF-12 wind tunnel, which simulates flight conditions up to Mach 9, these facilities provide a comprehensive experimental platform for testing near-space vehicles. By combining the data from both wind tunnels, researchers can gain a better understanding of materials and designs under various flight conditions, ultimately improving the performance and reliability of hypersonic weapons and aircraft. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

World’s most powerful wind tunnel opens in Beijing, here’s how it will boost China’s hypersonic ambitions

<p>A prominent physicist working in the UK for over 20 years on hypersonic technology has now joined China to lead an innovation team working to make hypersonic vehicles more efficient and effective. Zhang Yonghao came to Britain in the early 2000s from China to work as a computational scientist at Daresbury Laboratory. In 2020, he was appointed as chair professor at the University of Edinburgh, the highest academic rank that can be achieved.</p>

<h2><strong>How will Zhang Yonghao help China’s hypersonic programme?</strong></h2>

<p>Over the last 20 years in the UK, Yonghao’s research focused on understanding multiscale and multiphysical flow physics through theoretical and computational studies. This area holds critical importance for fields such as aerospace engineering, energy production and environmental science.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Pilots hired to help China understand how western planes operate&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>He has been working on new methods and models in the field of gas dynamics, specifically in the areas of rarefied gas dynamics and multiscale fluid mechanics. This is important for the development of a hypersonic programme because hypersonic vehicles are supposed to withstand high levels of temperature and pressure.</p>

<p>His contract with the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Mechanics started immediately after he resigned from the University of Edinburgh in October last year.</p>

<h2><strong>British government concerned</strong></h2>

<p>The UK government's investigation into academics with ties to China in 2021 has raised concerns over national security and intellectual property theft. The investigation targeted individuals associated with Chinese organisations, including universities and research institutions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As a result, a significant number of scientists and postgraduate students were prohibited from working in Britain in 2022 due to national security reasons. The Guardian reported that the Foreign Office's screening programme rejected more than 1,000 individuals in 2022, a significant increase from just 13 people in 2016.</p>

<p><strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-fired-hypersonic-missile-this-year-says-us-intelligence-leak-reports-582382">Also Read |&nbsp;China fired hypersonic missile this year, say leaked US intelligence documents: Reports</a></strong></p>

<p>While these measures are designed to protect research and development, they pose a threat to scientific collaboration and innovation, especially in fields where China is a dominant player, according to some experts and academics in the UK. However, it is unclear why Zhang Yonghao decided to join the Beijing-based national hypersonic laboratory in China.</p>

<h2><strong>China’s hypersonic programme and foreign collaborations</strong></h2>

<p>A report by FlightGlobal suggests that China’s hypersonic programme is majorly aided by China’s collaborations with researchers and experts in universities in Australia, Germany, Sweden, and the UK. China’s Harbin Institute of Technology and National University of Defense Technology (NUDT) plays a key role in the development of Hypersonic vehicle in China. Both of these institutes work closely with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army or PLA.&nbsp;</p>

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A prominent physicist working in the UK for over 20 years on hypersonic technology has now joined China to lead an innovation team working to make hypersonic vehicles more efficient and effective.

A prominent physicist working in the UK for over 20 years on hypersonic technology has now joined China to lead an innovation team working to make hypersonic vehicles more efficient and effective. Zhang Yonghao came to Britain in the early 2000s from China to work as a computational scientist at Daresbury Laboratory. In 2020, he was appointed as chair professor at the University of Edinburgh, the highest academic rank that can be achieved. How will Zhang Yonghao help China’s hypersonic programme? Over the last 20 years in the UK, Yonghao’s research focused on understanding multiscale and multiphysical flow physics through theoretical and computational studies. This area holds critical importance for fields such as aerospace engineering, energy production and environmental science. Watch: Pilots hired to help China understand how western planes operate × He has been working on new methods and models in the field of gas dynamics, specifically in the areas of rarefied gas dynamics and multiscale fluid mechanics. This is important for the development of a hypersonic programme because hypersonic vehicles are supposed to withstand high levels of temperature and pressure. His contract with the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Mechanics started immediately after he resigned from the University of Edinburgh in October last year. British government concerned The UK government's investigation into academics with ties to China in 2021 has raised concerns over national security and intellectual property theft. The investigation targeted individuals associated with Chinese organisations, including universities and research institutions. As a result, a significant number of scientists and postgraduate students were prohibited from working in Britain in 2022 due to national security reasons. The Guardian reported that the Foreign Office's screening programme rejected more than 1,000 individuals in 2022, a significant increase from just 13 people in 2016. Also Read | China fired hypersonic missile this year, say leaked US intelligence documents: Reports While these measures are designed to protect research and development, they pose a threat to scientific collaboration and innovation, especially in fields where China is a dominant player, according to some experts and academics in the UK. However, it is unclear why Zhang Yonghao decided to join the Beijing-based national hypersonic laboratory in China. China’s hypersonic programme and foreign collaborations A report by FlightGlobal suggests that China’s hypersonic programme is majorly aided by China’s collaborations with researchers and experts in universities in Australia, Germany, Sweden, and the UK. China’s Harbin Institute of Technology and National University of Defense Technology (NUDT) plays a key role in the development of Hypersonic vehicle in China. Both of these institutes work closely with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army or PLA. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Scientist working in UK for last 20 years joins China’s hypersonic programme

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World’s most powerful wind tunnel opens in Beijing, here’s how it will boost China’s hypersonic ambitions

Scientist working in UK for last 20 years joins China’s hypersonic programme