ZL8 Cell #1
The High-Pressure Combustion Laboratory (ZL8) was completed in 2017 and features five state-of-the-art 500 square-foot test cells and an adjacent 2200 square-foot diagnostics lab. ZL8 Cell 1 is home to the PT1 and PT2 wind tunnels. Below are some pictures of the construction of ZL8:
ZL8 Cell 1 Construction
ZL9 Cell 5
The High-Speed Propulsion Laboratory (ZL9) was constructed in 2024 and will support operations in 2025. This $73M, 60,000 ft2 facility adds five new test cells and significantly expands the high-pressure, high-flow-rate fluid system infrastructure throughout the Zucrow complex. Both facilities were designed with access windows connecting the test cells to the diagnostics laboratories, allowing a full-host of advanced laser-based techniques to be applied in the most complex flows.
ZL5
The ZL5 building is used exclusively by PETAL, and is home to the PT3 continuous subsonic open-return tunnel as well as LOTUS, a water table used to simulate supersonic phenomena through the hydraulic analogy. This building includes a small control room, as well as a clean room for resin 3D printing of test hardware. ZL5 is also used as a storage space, and a workspace for building and assembling test sections and instrumentation.
