Binary scaling limits for hypersonic flight.

Abstract

Abstract : For certain regimes of body size, velocity, and ambient density the characteristic features of hypersonic shock layer flow are controlled by two-body, or binary collision processes. Within these regimes, and within certain limits, scaling to another body size at the same velocity may be accomplished by holding the product of ambient density and body size constant, so that the ratio of a characteristic relaxation distance to a characteristic body size is unchanged. In this way, the distribution of thermodynamic and chemical states in the shock layers of two bodies of different size can be related. Such scaling laws are evidently of importance in scaling model results up to values appropriate to full-scale configurations. It is the purpose of the report to investigate the limits over which binary scaling may be applied. (Author)