High-speed laminar flow past a fin–body junction

Abstract

AbstractInterference heating effects generated by a blunt fin-type protuberance on a flat plate exposed to a hypersonic flow have been investigated experimentally and numerically. Experiments and simulations were carried out at a free-stream Mach number of 6.7 under laminar flow conditions. The surface heating on the plate was measured experimentally using liquid-crystal thermography, which provided quantitative data with high spatial resolution. Complementary surface oil flow and schlieren experiments were also carried out to gain a better understanding of the interference flow field. The effects of fin leading-edge diameter on the heating distribution on the flat plate surface were explored. The results of the experiments and simulations agree well and reveal a highly complex interaction region which extends over seven diameters upstream of the fin. Within the interaction region surrounding the fin, heating enhancements up to ten times the undisturbed flat plate value were estimated from the experimental data. However, the liquid crystals have a limited range, and the numerical simulations indicated localized peak heating many times this value both on the plate and the fin itself.