Flow structure in the wake of a space-launcher model with propulsive-jet simulation

Abstract

AbstractThe flow around a space launcher is dominated by flow separation at the junction between the main body and engine and strongly influenced by the propulsive jet. The flow field is highly unsteady with strong local pressure and temperature loads. To conceive a means of mitigating these effects and allow for smarter launcher designs, a better understanding is necessary. The wake of a generic axisymmetric launcher model with and without afterexpanding propulsive jet was investigated at Mach 2.9, a Reynolds number $$\text {Re}_D=1.3\cdot 10^6$$ Re D = 1.3 · 10 6 (model diameter D), and a nozzle exit velocity of the jet simulation of Mach 2.5. I observed the evolution of the flow and its spectral content with velocity measurements with particle image velocimetry and wall-pressure recordings. Coherent structures were analyzed based on a proper orthogonal decomposition. The propulsive jet has two major influences. First, the turbulent intensities in the shear layer are damped, and the larger structures in the wake contain less turbulent kinetic energy than in the baseline case without propulsive jet. Second, the reattachment process is modified and the wake instability phenomena change accordingly. Without propulsive jet, large-scale separation with reattachment on the nozzle fairing occurs and the low-frequency unsteadiness of the closed separation bubble/recompression-shock system is relevant. This phenomenon only has a minor influence under the influence of the jet plume, where the flow is displaced away from the surface and the reattachment process is incomplete. Here, shear-layer instabilities become more prominent.