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April 6, 2021 | International, Aerospace

À Saclay, la DGA simule l’altitude pour tester les moteurs en conditions extrêmes

L'Usine Nouvelle consacre un article au Centre d'Essais des Propulseurs du Ministère des Armées, situé sur le plateau de Saclay (Essonne), qui dispose de moyens uniques en Europe pour reproduire au sol les conditions de vols extrêmes subies par les aéronefs. Le centre technique utilise l'eau, venue des étangs voisins de Versailles, qui, amenée aux températures et aux pressions voulues, permet de récréer les flux d'air et les conditions atmosphériques de vol dans de grands caissons capables d'accueillir des moteurs. Les cinq caissons atmosphériques du centre permettent de reproduire des conditions de vol extrêmes, que ce soit en termes d'altitude (jusqu'à 20 000 mètres), de vitesse (jusqu'à Mach 3) et de température (de - 70 à + 250 °C). « Par rapport à un vol réel, nous maîtrisons mieux les tests et nous pouvons plus facilement étudier les paramètres qui nous intéressent », explique Marie-José Martinez, la directrice du site. Au-delà des programmes d'armement, le centre propose également des prestations aux grands motoristes mondiaux, tels que Safran ou Rolls-Royce. L'avion de combat SCAF pourrait aussi en bénéficier.

L'Usine Nouvelle du 6 avril

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