Recompression of Nonequilibrium Flow in the Wake of a Blunted Cone

Abstract

The entry of a planetary probe, which is a 140 degree total-included-angle blunted cone with a spherical nose, rounded edges, and a cylindrical afterbody is significantly influenced by nonequilibrium flow effects. Therefore its aerodynamic characteristics have been investigated in the continuum flow of the High Enthalpy Shock Tunnel at the DLR in Goettingen (HEG). Calculations with a Thin-Laayer Navier-Stokes code which is capable of simulating chemical and thermal nonequilibrium flows have been carried out and compared to measured heat transfer and pressure distributions. Depending on the operating condition of the tunnel, upto 63 % of the stagnation heat-transfer rate was reached on the front-body corner junction and up to 13 % was measured on the afterbody sting due to the reattachment of the separated shear layer.The numerical prediction on the forebody compares well with the experimental data, whereas the maximum heat loads on the sting.