Wall modeled large eddy simulation of supersonic flow physics over compression–expansion ramp

Abstract

In the present work, wall modeled large-eddy simulation (WMLES) in the Fluent software is used to investigate the flow physics of a three-dimensional shock–turbulent boundary layer interaction, as an important phenomenon in aerospace science, on a compression–expansion ramp with the angle of 25°. Fine flow structures are obtained via Laplacian of density that called shadowgraph, in which shock wave structures are visible distinctly. The results are compared with the experimental data of Zheltovodov et al., 1990 [33], in the same condition regarding geometry, boundary conditions, etc. as those used by them. Results show that not only there are a good agreement with experimental trends concerning wall pressure, friction coefficient distribution and mean velocity profiles, but also in comparison with those presented by Grilli et al., 2013 [24]. LES simulation, used in this study, presents more accurate results with fewer computational costs. Afterwards, we investigated the influence of discontinuity in wall temperature, varying stagnation pressure and Reynolds number on physics of flow in order to control the shock behavior. Our simulations shows that, discontinuity in wall temperature, varying free stream stagnation pressure and Reynolds number (the free stream Mach number remained essentially constant) influences the starting point of shock, shock strength, separation length and the collision angle of separated and reattachment shock waves.