Experimental investigation of flow over sharp cones with near-critical and supercritical vertex angle

Abstract

This paper presents results of an experimental investigation of supersonic flow over sharp cones with near-critical and supercritical semivertex angles. The authors have determined the drag coefficients and the shock position at supersonic flow velocities corresponding to M∞ = 4.0 over a range of cone semivertex angles from 40 to 130 °, at angle of attack α = 0. The experimental drag coefficients are compared with available theoretical values, obtained using both exact and approximate methods of calculation. The experimentally obtained position of the attached shock wave is compared with theory, derived by the method of integral relations in the first approximation.