Transonic Aerodynamic Analysis of Different Forebody Shapes of Aerospace Vehicles

ABSTRACT: One of the most important features of an aerospace vehicle design is its shape, especially the forebody part, since it defines the main characteristics of the vehicle aerodynamic. In this context, the present work has the purpose of investigating the transonic aerodynamic regime in typical vehicle models, with different frontal geometry configurations, using the experimental techniques pressure sensitive paint (PSP) and Schlieren. The aim is to get more insights about the flow patterns over the selected models, regarding the transonic regime, in terms of qualitative density field evaluation, and the identification of important aerodynamic parameters, such as shock wave positioning and pressure gradients over the model, as well as the influence of the forebody configuration in the flow pattern. The test campaign was carried out in the Pilot Transonic Wind Tunnel of the Institute of Aeronautics and Space (IAE; in Portuguese, Instituto de Aeronáutica e Espaço), varying Mach numbers from subsonic to low supersonic. Five forebody configurations mounted in a cylindrical body having the standard cone-cylinder shape as baseline was considered. A description of the phenomena occurring around and on the models surface for all five models is presented, through analyses of the Schlieren images and PSP results.

摘要：飞行器设计的核心特征之一为外形，尤其是前体（forebody）部分，其决定了飞行器空气动力学性能的核心指标。在此研究背景下，本工作旨在针对多款典型飞行器模型，采用压力敏感漆（pressure sensitive paint, PSP）与纹影（Schlieren）两种实验技术，探究不同前部几何构型下的跨音速空气动力学流场特性。本研究的目标在于，针对跨音速流场条件下的选定模型，通过定性密度场评估，深入分析其表面流场形态，并识别关键气动参数，如模型表面激波位置与压力梯度，同时探究前体构型对流场形态的影响。本次试验任务在航空航天研究所（Institute of Aeronautics and Space, IAE；葡萄牙语原名为Instituto de Aeronáutica e Espaço）的小型跨音速风洞中开展，试验马赫数范围覆盖亚音速至低超音速区间。本次研究选定了五种前体构型，所有构型均安装于以标准锥柱体为基线的圆柱机身之上。本研究通过对纹影图像与压力敏感漆测试结果的分析，详细阐述了全部五种模型周围及表面所发生的各类气动现象。