Investigation of Streamwise Vortices at Deflected Flaps of Re-entry Vehicles

Abstract

Purpose of the present investigation is to study the separated flow field in the flap region of hypersonic re-entry vehicles, with respect to the heat loads induced by streamwise vortices in the transitional regime. As a first step generic turbulent ramp configurations with artificially induced vortex disturbances are simulated by the structured Navier-Stokes solver CEVCATS-N and compared with wind tunnel data of the Ludwieg tube facility in Göttingen (RWG). The results allow a detailed insight into the perturbed flow field, the associated flow topology and the influence of parameter variations for the perturbations. To resolve streamwise vortices at the control surfaces of re-entry vehicles local grids are generated in this region. Extensive studies of grid refinement show very good convergence. Streamwise vortices are simulated for spanwise refined grids with a highly resolved boundary layer. For laminar and fixed transition cases vortex influences are simulated successfully with and without artificial vortex excitation.