An Experimental and Computational Study of the Aerodynamics of a Square Cross-Section Body at Supersonic Speeds

Abstract

An experimental and computational study has been carried out of investigate the aerodynamic characteristics of a square cross-section body at supersonic speeds. The results show that a square cross-section body generates higher normal force and offers improved lift-to-drag ratios when compared with conventional circular cross-section bodies for certain preferred orientations. However it was found that square cross-section bodies can also generate significant lateral forces and moments, and very complicated leeside vortical flowfields which complicate the missile control system. A Parabolized Navier-Stokes solver was successfully employed to predict the forces and moments, and provided added valuable insight into the complex vortical flows which develop on the leeside of bodies at incidence.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2003
Accession Number
ADA418849

Entities

People

  • Graham M. Simpson
  • Simon A. Prince
  • Trevor J. Birch

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aerodynamic Characteristics
  • Aerodynamics
  • Axisymmetric
  • Bodies
  • Boundary Layer
  • Coefficients
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics
  • Control Systems
  • Drag
  • Equations
  • Fineness Ratio
  • Flow
  • Flow Fields
  • Geometry
  • Mach Number
  • Physics
  • Wind Tunnels

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Aerodynamics/Aeronautics.
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)

Technology Areas

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