Optical Study of Supersonic Flow over a Rearward Facing Step

Abstract

The supersonic flow field over a rearward facing step was studied with a schlieren system. The effect of Mach number variation, step height variation, and total pressure variation on the expansion fan angle, lip shock angle, flow turning angle, reattachment point, and reattachment shock angle was determined. Schlieren photographs of the flow at Mach number 2.7 to 3.1, step heights of 1/4 to 3/4 in, and total pressures of 60 to 95 psia are presented. It was found that the relatively small changes in Mach number had the smallest effect on the flow field and that changing the step height had the greatest effect on the flow field. The flow turning angle was sensitive to all three variables.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 1969
Accession Number
AD0853070

Entities

People

  • Albert L. Waters

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Compressors
  • Air Force
  • Air Supplies
  • Boundary Layer
  • Engineering
  • Flow Fields
  • High Pressure
  • Instrumentation
  • Jet Propulsion
  • Light Sources
  • Mach Number
  • Pressure Measurement
  • Stagnation Pressure
  • Supersonic Flow
  • Turbulent Mixing
  • United States
  • Wind Tunnels

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Combustion and Flow Dynamics.
  • Fluid Dynamics.

Technology Areas

  • Hypersonics
  • Hypersonics - Hypersonic Flow