Understanding Heat Transfer Effects on Hypersonic Flow: Implications for Aerodynamic Design

This research explores the application of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for simulating the impact of aerodynamic heating on design efforts. The initial investigation illustrates the efficacy of employing a computational approach to analyze various geometries and flow conditions. Specifically, CFD is utilized to examine the aerodynamics of a blunt cone, double cone, and hypersonic leading edge subjected to a varying heat source along the flow/body boundary. The study confirms that maximum thermal loading occurs at the stagnation point, consistent with prior findings. To compare results across cases, measurements are taken for boundary layer thickness and shock standoff distance at the stagnation point. Parameters such as temperature and pressure provide insights into shock and boundary layer distances, revealing how heat flux influences layer displacement from the body and narrows regions as the flow cools. In the case of the more intricate double cone geometry, adiabatic flow reveals two shocks. However, an increase in heat flux pushes the shock layer further from the body until the shocks merge, resulting in drag reduction across the body. This simulates a scenario akin to an ablative heat shield undergoing combustion. In summary, simpler designs are less susceptible to the influence of heat flux, while more complex designs and regions necessitate consideration of heat flux—potentially leveraging it to enhance aerodynamic design.