CFD Simulations and Wind Tunnel Experiments for Re-usable Launch Vehicles

Síntesis CFSE

El trabajo compara simulaciones CFD y ensayos en túnel de viento de la retropropulsión supersónica en las configuraciones RETALT1 y RETALT2. En RETALT1, la distancia de separación del choque de proa y la posición del disco de Mach varían linealmente con √(c_T); en cambio, la relación entre la presión de salida de la tobera y la presión posestancamiento varía linealmente con c_T, el coeficiente de empuje. En RETALT2, los ensayos y los cálculos muestran histéresis al variar el ángulo de incidencia.

Resumen original en inglés

In the frame of the RETALT project a large number of CFD simulations and Wind Tunnel experiments were made for both the RETALT1 and RETALT2 configurations to better understand the physics and mechanisms of retro-propulsion at supersonic flow conditions. For RETALT1, it was found in both CFD and Wind Tunnel experiments that the flow structure (bow shock stand-off distance, location of the Mach disk) varies linearly with √(c_T), with c_T the thrust coefficient. However, other flow features, as for example the ratio of nozzle exit pressure with the post-stagnation pressure, show a linear dependence on the c_T. For RETALT2 a hysteresis effect was observed in the Wind Tunnel experiments when varying the incidence angle, and a similar behavior was found in the CFD calculations.

Resumen original de Zenodo. Reutilizado con licencia base. Line wrapping and mathematical notation have been normalized against the published abstract; c_T denotes the thrust coefficient.