Numerical Simulation of the Aerodynamics and Aerothermal Heating for a Hypersonic Vehicle

Abstract

A hypersonic forebody based on waverider and liftbody concept was presented. The configuration of a new hypersonic vehicle was designed by taking the configuration of X43A. Numerical simulation was conducted on the two-dimensional and three-dimensional models of the vehicle using CFD software of Gambit and Fluent. The effects of Mach number and attack angle on the aerodynamics and heat transfer were considered. The results of simulation investigation showed that: High compressed air was constrained beneath the pre-compressed surface of the forebody. The computational data on central cross section of the three-dimensional model for the vehicle was similar to that of the two-dimensional model. But great pressure gradient existed between the pre-compressed surface and side surface of the forebody which would lead to severe air leakage and pressure loss. The increasing of attack angle and Mach number enforced the stagnation of shock wave on the side walls of the engine. The thermal environment of the vehicle was deteriorated rapidly with increasing Mach number. But the viscous heating was overrated which lead to unbelievable high temperature. The software Fluent was more suitable to predict the aerodynamics than the heat transfer for hypersonic flow.