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Scramjet test flow reconstruction for a large-scale expansion tube, Part 2: axisymmetric CFD analysis

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Abstract

This paper presents the second part of a study aiming to accurately characterise a Mach 10 scramjet test flow generated using a large free-piston-driven expansion tube. Part 1 described the experimental set-up, the quasi-one-dimensional simulation of the full facility, and the hybrid analysis technique used to compute the nozzle exit test flow properties. The second stage of the hybrid analysis applies the computed 1-D shock tube flow history as an inflow to a high-fidelity two-dimensional-axisymmetric analysis of the acceleration tube. The acceleration tube exit flow history is then applied as an inflow to a further refined axisymmetric nozzle model, providing the final nozzle exit test flow properties and thereby completing the analysis. This paper presents the results of the axisymmetric analyses. These simulations are shown to closely reproduce experimentally measured shock speeds and acceleration tube static pressure histories, as well as nozzle centreline static and impact pressure histories. The hybrid scheme less successfully predicts the diameter of the core test flow; however, this property is readily measured through experimental pitot surveys. In combination, the full test flow history can be accurately determined.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Frans De Beurs, Neil Duncan, and the EAIT Faculty Workshop, for technical assistance with X3; the Australian Research Council for support and funding; the Queensland Smart State Research Facilities Fund 2005 for support and funding; the Australian Space Research Program and UQ for their funding in support of the “Scramjet-based Access-to-Space Systems” (SCRAMSPACE) project; and the UQ High Performance Computing (HPC) Support Group for supercomputing support; this work was supported by computational resources provided by the Australian Government through Raijin and Magnus under the National Computational Merit Allocation Scheme.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia

    D. E. Gildfind, P. A. Jacobs, R. G. Morgan, W. Y. K. Chan & R. J. Gollan

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  1. D. E. Gildfind
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  2. P. A. Jacobs
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  3. R. G. Morgan
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  4. W. Y. K. Chan
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  5. R. J. Gollan
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Correspondence to D. E. Gildfind.

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Communicated by Z. Jiang and A. Higgins.

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Gildfind, D.E., Jacobs, P.A., Morgan, R.G. et al. Scramjet test flow reconstruction for a large-scale expansion tube, Part 2: axisymmetric CFD analysis. Shock Waves 28, 899–918 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00193-017-0786-9

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