Surface Measurements of a Supersonic Jet in Subsonic Compressible Crossflow for the Validation of Computational Models

Abstract

Despite many decades of jet-in-crossflow experimentation, a distinct lack of data remains for a supersonic jet exhausting into a subsonic compressible crossflow. The present investigation seeks to address this deficiency by examining the flowfield structure of a Mach 3.73 jet injected transversely from a flat plate into a subsonic compressible freestream. The experimental results described herein include the mean surface pressure field as mapped using static pressure taps on the flat plate and an identification of flow features by employing an oil-based surface flow tracer. The possibility of flow separation within the nozzle itself also is addressed using pressure taps along the nozzle interior wall, as is the asymmetry of the separation line due to the variation of the local backpressure around the perimeter of the nozzle orifice resulting from the jet-in-crossflow interaction. Pressure data both on the flat plate and within the nozzle are presented at numerous angles with respect to the crossflow freestream direction to provide a breadth of measurements throughout the interaction region. Since the data are intended for use in validating computational models, attention is paid to providing details regarding the experimental geometry, boundary conditions, flowfield nonuniformities, and uncertainty analyses. Eight different sets of data are provided, covering a range of values of the jet-to-freestream dynamic pressure ratio from 2.8 to 16.9 and a freestream Mach number range of 0.5 to 0.8.