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

Redactionele samenvatting

Het artikel vergelijkt CFD-simulaties en windtunnelproeven voor supersonische retropropulsie bij de configuraties RETALT1 en RETALT2. Voor RETALT1 hangen de afstand van de boegschok en de positie van de Machschijf lineair samen met √(c_T); de verhouding tussen de druk aan de nozzle-uitlaat en de druk na stagnatie hangt lineair samen met stuwkrachtcoëfficiënt c_T. RETALT2 vertoont hysterese met de invalshoek in zowel proeven als berekeningen.

Originele samenvatting in het Engels

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.

Samenvatting overgenomen van Zenodo. Hergebruikt onder de bronlicentie. Line wrapping and mathematical notation have been normalized against the published abstract; c_T denotes the thrust coefficient.