Research on the drag reduction performance induced by the counterflowing jet for waverider with variable blunt radii

Li, S.-b., Wang, Z.-g., Barakos, G. N. , Huang, W. and Steijl, R. (2016) Research on the drag reduction performance induced by the counterflowing jet for waverider with variable blunt radii. Acta Astronautica, 127, pp. 120-130. (doi: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2016.05.031)

Abstract

Waverider will endure the huge aero-heating in the hypersonic flow, thus, it need be blunt for the leading edge. However, the aerodynamic performance will decrease for the blunt waverider because of the drag hoik. How to improve the aerodynamic performance and reduce the drag and aero-heating is very important. The variable blunt radii method will improve the aerodynamic performance, however, the huge aero-heating and bow shock wave at the head is still serious. In the current study, opposing jet is used in the waverider with variable blunt radii to improve its performance. The three-dimensional coupled implicit Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes(RANS) equation and the two equation SST k–ω turbulence model have been utilized to obtain the flow field properties. The numerical method has been validated against the available experimental data in the open literature. The obtained results show that the L/D will drop 7–8% when R changes from 2 to 8. The lift coefficient will increase, and the drag coefficient almost keeps the same when the variable blunt radii method is adopted, and the L/D will increase. The variable blunt radii method is very useful to improve the whole characteristics of blunt waverider and the L/D can improve 3%. The combination of the variable blunt radii method and opposing jet is a novel way to improve the whole performance of blunt waverider, and L/D can improve 4–5%. The aperture as a novel way of opposing jet is suitable for blunt waverider and also useful to improve the aerodynamic and aerothermodynamic characteristics of waverider in the hypersonic flow. There is the optimal P0in/P0 that can make the detached shock wave reattach the lower surface again so that the blunt waverider can get the better aerodynamic performance.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: The authors would like to express their thanks for the support from the Science Foundation of National University of Defense Technology (Grant no. JC14-01-01), and Foundation of Hunan Province (Grant no. CX2013A001).
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Barakos, Professor George and Steijl, Dr Rene
• Authors: Li, S.-b., Wang, Z.-g., Barakos, G. N., Huang, W., and Steijl, R.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Autonomous Systems and Connectivity
• Journal Name: Acta Astronautica
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0094-5765
• Published Online: 27 May 2016
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2016 IAA
• First Published: First published in Acta Astronautica 127: 120-130
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy