Unsteady Solution of the Boundary Layer Equations with Application to Space Shuttle Tiles.
Abstract
Wind tunnel tests were conducted on space shuttle orbiter insulating articles. The data, processed by a heat estimation computer program, revealed a large discrepancy in magnitude of the heat transfer coefficient over the space shuttle tile when compared to that yielded by flat plate theory and thin skin test results. A suggested cause of this discrepancy was the nonisothermal wall effect. An unsteady compressible to investigate these effects. The boundary layer equations were transformed, using the Dorodnitsyn transformation to allow the equations to be solved similar to incompressible equations. These equations were then transformed to the computational plane and approximated by finite differences. Optimized successive overrelaxation was used to solve the difference equations. The grid used for this program is optimized based on the Blasius solution. Upon running this program, leading edge startup problems arose so a similarity solution is assumed at the leading edge which corrects the problem. The program was verified with an incompressible case which was in good agreement with the Blasius solution, and a compressible case with an isothermal wall which agreed well with approximate theory. The isothermal case showed the solution was dependent on the grid. The steady state and transient nonisothermal wall cases displayed the same trend as the approximate nonisothermal solution. All cases had the same dramatic decrease in the heat transfer coefficient and the subsequent recovery in the streamwise direction. (Theses)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1985
- Accession Number
- ADA164105
Entities
People
- Karen J. Lange
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology