BUSCH VACUUM SOLUTIONS DRIVES SUPERSONIC RESEARCH AT GERMAN AEROSPACE CENTER

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 (Bernama) -- Busch Vacuum Solutions is powering Europe’s largest tube wind tunnel at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), providing the COBRA NX screw vacuum pump essential for supersonic research.

The dry, oil-free COBRA pump enables researchers to generate the precise vacuum conditions required to simulate flows of up to Mach 7, supporting critical studies that help shape the next generation of safer, more efficient aerospace technologies.

According to a statement, the COBRA NX delivers vacuum levels of 10 to 40 mbar inside the tunnel’s 50- metre cube vacuum vessel, significantly accelerating evacuation times and improving energy efficiency.

Compared to the previous rotary vane pump, the COBRA NX cuts pump-down time by half—reducing vessel evacuation from 30 minutes to just 15—while operating with noticeably lower noise and vibration. Its clean, oil-free design ensures stable, reproducible flow conditions for repeated high-precision experiments, a key requirement for DLR’s scientific work.

Busch was selected through a competitive tender in 2021 to replace the decades-old pump originally used since the wind tunnel began operating in 1968.

The COBRA NX was identified as the optimal solution thanks to its speed, reliability, low maintenance needs, and ability to support demanding supersonic test conditions. Busch’s local service network further ensures rapid on-site support and ongoing maintenance.

DLR researchers rely on the facility to validate numerical models, study turbulent flow behaviour, and generate data used by global aerospace organisations, including NASA, ESA, and the wider aviation industry. Busch’s vacuum technology is now a key enabler of this high-impact scientific work, helping advance supersonic research that influences current and future aerospace missions.

The Busch Group is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of vacuum pumps, vacuum systems, blowers, compressors and gas abatement systems. Under its umbrella, the group houses two well-known brands, namely Busch Vacuum Solutions and Pfeiffer Vacuum+Fab Solutions.

-- BERNAMA