Numerical Investigations of Particle Interactions with Navy Relevant High-Speed Flows
Abstract
Hypersonic flight technology provides increased range and reduced travel time of defense hardware, thereby enabling a strategic large-range rapid response capability. Therefore, hypersonics research is currently one of the highest technical priorities for the Department of Defense and the Navy. The ability to accurately predict the complex flow field around hypersonic flight hardware and provide a profound understanding of the relevant physics is essential to reduce design margins and system uncertainties, and, ultimately, guide the development of novel innovative designs. Current and future hypersonic vehicles are designed to obtain optimal aero-thermodynamic characteristics while operating in the atmosphere for sustained period of times. The external disturbance environment, including free-stream turbulence, thermal noise associated with kinetic fluctuations and particulates can strongly affect the aero-thermodynamics of high-speed vehicles, in particular, the laminar-turbulent transition process, which is the main subject of this research.The transition process plays a central role in hypersonic vehicle design because as the flow transitions, a significant increase in skin friction and heat transfer coefficients are observed. A wide range of particulates are present in the atmosphere; however, the interaction of these particulates with the aero-thermodynamics of high-speed vehicles is currently not well understood. The proposed research addresses this important gap in knowledge base by conducting high-fidelity numerical investigations of particle interactions with high-speed flows. Both single particle interactions as well as cloud particle interactions with the high speed flow, in particular the bow shock, shock layer and most importantly the boundary layer flow, will be studied to provide insight into complex physics that occur. Simulating these complex physical phenomena requires the use of a unique, highly accurate and efficient numerical simulation approach previously developed by the PI. All research studies will be performed for geometries prototypical of so-called lifting bodies, slender shaped air vehicles and flow conditions relevant to the Navy.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jun 09, 2021
- Source ID
- N000142112501
Entities
People
- Christoph Brehm
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Maryland