Computational Investigation of Pitch Damping on Missile Geometries at High Angles of Attack

Abstract

The capability of accurately estimating pitch damping values for missile-like geometries over a range of Mach numbers and at high angles of attack using state-of-the-art CFD techniques has been investigated. Toward this effort three geometries were examined: the Army-Navy Finner model, the extended Army-Navy Finner model, and the M823 research store. Pitch damping values are predicted using forced oscillation calculations performed with the RavenCFD Navier-Stokes flow solver. Additionally, pitch decay calculations and aerodynamic build-up methods are also employed using the RavenCFD solver. These methods are compared to both experimental results and AP09, a fast-running engineering tool. Pitch damping variations due to geometric changes, Mach number changes, and angle of attack changes are explored with each method. Overall, each CFD method exhibits an outstanding agreement with experiment and range data at the lower angles of attack. Both pitch decay and forced oscillation approaches provide good agreement for low-to-moderate angles. At angles of attack greater than 30 degrees, the forced oscillation approach provides the best agreement. Pitch damping variations at angles higher than 60-70 degrees for the Army-Navy Finner have been shown to be a peripheral effect of the extreme unsteadiness of the wake flow at these conditions.