Controlled Experiments on Instabilities and Transition to Turbulence on Elliptic Cones at Hypersonic Mach Numbers

Abstract

This work involves the study of instabilities and transition to turbulence in boundary layers on cones at different angles of attacks at high supersonic and hypersonic Mach numbers. It utilizes facilities at NASA Langley Research Center which make use of "quiet" design nozzles to minimize the level of acoustic disturbances. The experiments include design Mach numbers of 3.5, and 8.0, and involve two models. The first is a 70 half-angle circular cross-section cone which has been previously used by us (Cavalieri, 1995; Corke & Cavalieri. 1997; Corke, Cavalieri & Matlis, 1997) in experiments without angle of attack, at Mach 3.5. We used this model during the past year in order to investigate the effects of angles of attack and free-stream disturbances at Mach 3.5. The second model was designed and constructed during the past year. It consists of a 100 half-angle cone with a 4:1 elliptic cross section. The cone mounts on a sting which places it inside the worst-case estimate of the location of the quiet zone in the new Mach 8 tunnel at NASA LaRC. The model is annealed and hardened to withstand the 9000F free-stream temperature nd maintain a polished finish. A 3-D traversing mechanism capable or following the taperad elliptic surface, and operating at high temperatures in the hypersonic flow is presently being built. This will carry a miniature pitot probe or hot-wire sensor. Preliminary measurements with the elliptic cone at Mach 8 are planned for October.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 13, 2000
Accession Number
ADA383264

Entities

People

  • Marek Dollar
  • Thomas C. Corke

Organizations

  • University of Notre Dame

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Sensors
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Boundaries
  • Boundary Layer
  • Coordinate Systems
  • Flow
  • Free Stream
  • High Temperature
  • Hot Wire
  • Hypersonic Flow
  • Instability
  • Layers
  • Mach Number
  • Measurement
  • Transitions
  • Traversing Mechanisms
  • Turbulence
  • Wire

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Fluid Dynamics.
  • Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Dynamics.

Technology Areas

  • Hypersonics
  • Hypersonics - Hypersonic Boundary Layers
  • Hypersonics - Hypersonic Flow