Assessment of computational fluid dynamics for supersonic shock containing jets

This paper describes a combined experimental and computational investigation of supersonic jets operating off design. Axisymmetric steady-state computational fluid dynamics simulations were performed with a Reynoldsaveraged Navier-Stokes solver using a two-equation turbulence model. These results were compared directly with experimental results for two differen t axisymmetric nozzles operating at over- and underexpanded conditions. Pitot and static pressure probes were used to measure the Mach number and local static pressure at various downstream locations.Acomparison of both experimental and numerically predicted schlieren visualizations were performed for a qualitative assessment of the accuracy of the flowfield predictions. Quantitative comparisons of pitot and static pressures were made between the experiments and simulations. This provides an assessment of the quality of the numerical simulations as well as an indication of the errors associated with any interference between the pressure probes and the flow in the experiments.