X3/R is a new large-scale free-piston-driven dual-mode shock expansion tube, developed and operated collaboratively by the University of Queensland (UQ) and Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG). The facility can be converted between a long-duration reflected shock tunnel (RST), a super-orbital expansion tube (X-mode), and a non-reflected shock tube (NRST). In RST mode, the facility is currently capable of producing 600 mm diameter Mach 7 test flows at 25–50 kPa dynamic pressure for more than 10 ms. In expansion tube mode, the facility can reach enthalpies up to 80 MJ/kg for test times on the order of 500–1000 \({\mu }\)s. This paper presents the new facility, summarizes its current operational capabilities, and discusses key the technical challenges overcome during its development.

X3/R是一种新型大型自由活塞驱动双模式激波膨胀管，由昆士兰大学（UQ）和澳大利亚国防科学技术集团（DSTG）合作开发和运营。该设施可以在长时间反射激波风洞（RST）、超轨道膨胀管（X 模式）和非反射激波管（NRS​​T）之间进行转换。在 RST 模式下，该设施目前能够在 25-50 kPa 动压下产生直径 600 毫米、马赫 7 的测试流，持续时间超过 10 毫秒。在膨胀管模式下，该设备可在 500–1000  \({\mu }\) s 的测试时间内达到高达 80 MJ/kg 的焓。本文介绍了新设施，总结了其当前的运营能力，并讨论了其开发过程中克服的关键技术挑战。