Fluidic Thrust Vector Control of Supersonic Jet Using Coflow Injection

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to investigate the operation condition of fluidic thrust vector using injection of the control flow tangential to the main jet direction; co-flow injection. The physical model of concern includes a chamber and a supersonic nozzle for supersonic main jet injection, and two chambers with slots for control flow injection. Steadystate numerical and experimental studies were conducted to investigate operating parameters; detailed flow structures, jet deflection angles, and shock effects were observed near the nozzle exit. An unsteady numerical calculation was conducted to analyze the dynamic characteristics of fluidic control of jet vectoring up- and downward from the nozzle axis, so that the response time of jet deflection to control flow injection and the pressure dispersion on the nozzle wall were investigated. Internal nozzle performance was predicted for total pressure range of the jet from 300 kPa to 1000 kPa to the control flow pressure from 120 to 200 kPa. To take into account the important features of high-speed flows, including shock-boundary layer interactions, a low Reynolds number k-e turbulence model with compressible-dissipation and pressure-dilatation effects was applied.