Detached Eddy Simulation of Supersonic Shear Layer Wake Flows

Abstract

One challenge of numerical investigations of unsteady super- and hypersonic flow fields is the study of the turbulent wake at complex vehicle configurations. A recent promising approach is the technique of detached-eddy simulation (DES) proposed by Spalart et.al. Detached-eddy simulation is a hybrid approach for the modelling of turbulent flow fields at complex geometries. The intention of the current work is an investigation of the shear flow in the wake of a blunt cylinder at M=2.4 at high Reynolds numbers. This is used as a basic configuration for re-entry vehicles with a blunt base. Additionally simulations of the SARA capsule, a facility conceived to be a recovery orbital platform to perform orbital flights, are carried out to give a practical demonstratin of DES modelling for hypersonic flight To ensure turbulent wake flow the trajectory point at M=5.1, Re= 20 10^6 was chosen. The influence of unsteady loads, generated by the turbulent wake flow was investigated for this vehicle.