Turbulence Effects on the High Angle of Attack Aerodynamics of a Vertically Launched Missile

Abstract

A subonic wind tunnel investigation was conducted at the Naval Postgraduate School Wind Tunnel Test Facility to examine the effects of grid generated turbulence on the high angle of attack aerodynamics of a vertically launched missile. Four turbulence generating grids produced turbulence with length scale to missile and model diameter ratios of 1.05, 0.89, 0.62, and 0.15 with respective turbulence intensities of 3.31%, 2.78%, 1.88%, and 0.47%. The test model is representative of current cruciform wing missiles with low aspect ratio wings and long root chords. The tangent ogive nose has a nose fineness ratio of 2.29. Three separate body configurations were tested with and without the turbulence generating grids. One configuration was a body in isolation and the other two were wing and tail configurations at 0 deg and 45 deg and roll angles. All test runs were conducted over an angle of attack range of -5 deg to 95 deg. Results indicate that as turbulence length scales approach body diameter size, the angle of attack for the onset of asymmetric vortices was delayed and the side force magnitude was reduced. The vortices generated by the nose of the missile continue to dominate the afterbody vortices for body configurations with and without wings regardless of the turbulence conditions.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1988
Accession Number
ADA200418

Entities

People

  • M. P. Rabang

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aerodynamic Characteristics
  • Aspect Ratio
  • Barometric Pressure
  • Boundary Layer
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics
  • Fineness Ratio
  • Flow Visualization
  • Fluid Dynamics
  • Geometry
  • Measurement
  • Pressure Measurement
  • Research Facilities
  • Slender Bodies
  • Test Facilities
  • Turbulence
  • Wind Tunnel Tests
  • Wind Tunnels

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Aerodynamics/Aeronautics.
  • Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Dynamics.