Comparisons of Predicted and Measured Aerodynamic Characteristics of the DLR LK6E2 Missile Airframe

Abstract

In this study, the influence of the turbulence model, grid resolution and flow solvers on the results of RANS simulations is investigated. The work is part of the NATO AVT Task Group AVT-316 (Vortex Interaction Effects Relevant to Military Air Vehicle Performance). Simulations have been carried out for a generic transonic missile configuration by various organizations and compared with data from wind tunnel experiments for a Mach number of M = 0.85, a roll angle of $\boldsymbol{45^\circ}$ and total incidences in the range of $\boldsymbol{15^\circ\leq\sigma\leq17.5^\circ}$. In the first part of the study each organization used their own computational mesh and best practice for the grid generation. In the second part a common mesh family (three grids) were used for the simulations. It was shown that even for the common mesh family, the results of the different flow solvers in some cases showed large variations. This applies in particular to the rolling moment. Here, the accurate flow solver-dependent prediction of the complicated flow topology on the large wings and the accurate prediction of the location of the leeward vortices have a particularly strong effect. Only one flow solver predicted this flow in a form that gave good agreement with the wind tunnel results over the entire investigated angular range.