Numerical and physical simulation of supersonic flow around shells

Abstract

The aerodynamic characteristics of launch vehicles separable elements, which are cylindrical and conical shells, in supersonic airflow are presented in this paper. Numerical simulation of the flow around shells in the plane of their symmetry is performed for flow Mach numbers from 2.0 to 4.0 using an open-source software package OpenFoam. We got the aerodynamic coefficients of the axial, normal forces and pitch moment, and the structure of the flow around shells. We compared the numerical simulation results with the results of experimental studies conducted in the BMSTU supersonic wind tunnel. The complex nature of the flow around shells with the formation of shock waves, areas of flow separation, and circulation flow are established. We compared the aerodynamic characteristics of cylindrical and conical shells with the characteristics of a solid cone and cylinder, and with the characteristics of rectangular and triangular plates. We found that the flow around the shells (except for the hollow cone) is accompanied by a through flow, the aerodynamic force is created by all the shell surfaces. The flow around the hollow cone is accompanied by the formation of a stagnant area inside the cavity. Features in the flow structures are reflected in the shells’ aerodynamic characteristics, which differ from the solid bodies and plates characteristics.