2020 journal article

Investigation of Surface Curvature Effects on Unseparated Fin Shock-Wave/Boundary-Layer Interactions

AIAA JOURNAL, 58(2), 770–778.

co-author countries: United States of America 🇺🇸
Source: Web Of Science
Added: April 20, 2020

The effect of three-dimensional (3-D) relief from surface curvature on a shock/boundary-layer interaction (SBLI) is investigated by mounting a sharp fin on a cylindrical surface. The test article consisted of a fin with a 5 deg half-angle affixed to a half-cylinder with a 50 mm outer diameter placed in a Mach 2.5 freestream. The shock strength was small enough that the incoming boundary layer remained unseparated, allowing for direct investigation of the influence of 3-D relief on the SBLI. Complementary experimental and computational investigations were made to obtain a detailed understanding of the mean flow. The surface streaklines exhibited an inward tilt toward the fin root when compared to a planar configuration. Furthermore, the overall compression across the SBLI was always smaller than the planar configuration, and the compression magnitude monotonically decreased with downstream distance. Investigations of the offbody shock structure revealed an outboard curvature of the shock stem as it approached the cylinder surface and an associated decreased shock strength near the cylinder surface. The modified shock’s effects on the resulting overall compression became noticeable where the inviscid shock stem displayed weakening just above the boundary layer.