Model for the Solution of Supersonic Viscous Interaction Effects on Blunted Cones

Abstract

over the past decade. The practical application of such investigations: space vehicle re-entry and high altitude flight, has initiated the development of numerous analytical and numerical models to accurately predict the viscous inviscid interaction and its effect on fluid properties, particularly pressure distribution. A proper assessment of the effects of interaction on blunted surfaces can only be accomplished by a theory which allows for both pressure and vorticity interaction phenomena for the high Mach number, low Reynolds number flows of practical interest. Previous investigations by the authors13'14 have attempted to establish a model which allows for the inclusion of all interaction effects directly, i.e., by solving the entire viscous and inviscid flowfield at the same time and establishing unique solutions. The model's main features are: its inclusion of viscous transports in the characteristic equations, the matching of the subsonic viscous flow (solved by a second-order, implicit CrankNicholson scheme) to the supersonic flow in the transonic zone, the inclusion of the normal momentum equation (thus allowing for transverse pressure gradients, whose importance is increased in thick, high curvature boundary layers), and the solution of the entire interaction problem by a marching technique. It is shown herein that the model's predictions of pressure distribution and heat transfer for high Mach number, low Reynolds number, flows over blunted cones are in excellent agreement with experimental data, whereas other interaction models do not exhibit such accuracy.