Title: Effect of steps and gaps on aerothermodynamics for the IXV hypersonic vehicle

Authors: Frédéric Sourgen; Joëlle Fontaine; François Garçon; J-L. Verant; C. Pelissier; Jean-Pierre Tribot; Pierre Van Hauwaert; Martin Spel; Jan Vos

Addresses: ONERA-CERT, 2 Avenue E Belin 31000 Toulouse, France. ' ONERA BP 25, Route Départemtale no. 215, 73500 Modane, France. ' ONERA BP 25, Route Départemtale no. 215, 73500 Modane, France. ' ONERA-CERT, 2 Avenue E Belin 31000 Toulouse, France. ' ONERA-CERT, 2 Avenue E Belin 31000 Toulouse, France. ' Dassault Aviation, 78, quai Marcel Dassault, Cedex 300, 92552 Saint-Cloud Cedex, France. ' R.Tech Engineering B.V., Dalsteindreef 18-15 Diemervijver 18-52 'Hage' Building, 1112 XC Diemen, The Netherlands. ' R.Tech Engineering B.V., Dalsteindreef 18-15 Diemervijver 18-52 'Hage' Building, 1112 XC Diemen, The Netherlands. ' CFS Engineering, SA PSE-A 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland

Abstract: The general aerothermodynamics environment of hypersonic vehicles is usually performed considering a smooth simplified geometry. However, in the case of the intermediate experimental vehicle (IXV), the thermal protection system includes a mono-block ceramic matrix composite nose and an assembly of shingles between which steps and gaps are generated. From an aerothermodynamic point of view, such a distributed roughness layout cannot be ignored in terms of modification of the interaction between the flow and the body and possible induced transition along the windward side. To assess these effects, dedicated wind tunnel tests and numerical simulations have been performed. This paper presents the general logic of the work, with emphasis on the wind tunnel model design, tests involving infrared thermal measurements as well as the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) rebuilding of the flow in the wind tunnel and the extrapolation from ground to flight.

Keywords: intermediate experimental vehicles; IXV; aerothermodynamics; hypersonic vehicles; wind tunnels; boundary layer; transition; heat flux; infrared thermal measurement; flow modelling; extrapolation; thermal protection systems; ceramic matrix composites; composite nose; shingles assembly; numerical simulation; model design; computational fluid dynamics; CFD; hypersonic flight.

DOI: 10.1504/IJAD.2012.049132

International Journal of Aerodynamics, 2012 Vol.2 No.2/3/4, pp.130 - 151

Published online: 31 Oct 2014 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article