An Experimental Study of Hypersonic Wakes Behind Wedges at Angle of Attack

Author: Wu, Jiunn-Jenq

Year: 1971

Degree: Engineer's thesis

Advisor: Behrens, Wilhelm

Committee Member: Unknown, Unknown

Option: Aeronautics

DOI: 10.7907/682B-HB46

Abstract

Experimental measurements of mean flow properties of hypersonic wakes behind wedges of 20° included angle were conducted for angles of attack up to 25° at Mach number 6, with Reynolds number based on wedge base height ranging from 7000 to 55000. The near and far wake structures were determined, including streamlines and velocity profiles, over a downstream distance of 60 base heights. The base pressure is insensitive to angle of attack within about 17°. At higher incidence, flow separation occurs on the leeward surface. The far viscous wake (x/H Z 4) changes with increasing angle of attack mainly because of the increasing differences of the inviscid flow parameters at the leeward and windward edges of the viscous wake. Transition from laminar to turbulent flow moves upstream as angle of attack increases.

Files