Computations of Supersonic Flow over a Complex Elliptical Missile Configuration

Abstract

This paper describes a computational study undertaken to compute the aerodynamics of a complex non-axisymmetric missile with elliptic cross-sections. Numerical solutions have been obtained at a supersonic speed for various angles of attack and side-slip angles using a finite-volume unstructured Navier-Stokes computational technique. Turbulence closure has been provided by a two-equation Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) turbulence model. Numerical results show the qualitative features (vortices and cross-flow separation regions) of the flow field at various streamwise positions along the missile configuration. Aerodynamic coefficients have been obtained from the computed solutions and found to match well with the available experimental data for these configurations. These numerical results show the ability of computational fluid dynamics technique to generate the aerodynamic coefficients rapidly and accurately predict the aerodynamics of a complex nonaxisymmetric missile configuration with elliptic cross-sections.