Experimental and numerical study of hypersonic aeroelastic intakes

This thesis investigates the off-design intake operations due to aeroelasticity. An aeroelastic intake was tested in a hypersonic wind tunnel to assess its dynamic flowfield, structural response, and performance. The experiments were informed with static 2D, full-scale static 3D, and fully coupled 2D and 3D aeroelastic simulations. The intake studied was a planar asymmetric body. It was comprised of an external isentropic compression ramp, a cowl, and an internal flow path (isolator). The intake model was designed to be tested under four configurations, each of which explored a unique structural boundary condition. The experiments were conducted at the TUSQ hypersonic facility in Queensland, Australia, at Mach 5.85 flow condition. The aeroelasticity effects were measured in terms of the dynamic aero-structural response of the intake, and the performance indicated by the loss of total pressure. In addition, the evolution of shock wave-boundary layer interaction in the isolator was studied using experimental flow visualisation. Measurements of the flowfield properties in the experiments were performed using pressure transducers, pressure-sensitive paints, and schlieren flow visualisation. The dynamic structural response was measured using digital image correlation, as well as image tracking from the schlieren. Point measurement of Pitot pressure in the isolator was used to quantify the effects of intake deformation on total pressure. The results showed that the intake deformation strongly correlates with the total pressure loss in the isolator. A 4% dynamic deformation of the intake leading edge, normalised with respect to its deforming surface length, induced total pressure fluctuations of up to 36% about the mean value. On the other hand, a 4% static leading-edge deformation in the CFD solution led to a 37% loss of total pressure. The dynamic flowfield response to deformation can also exhibit phase shifts, adding further to the performance uncertainty of practical intakes. The relationship between the flowfield response and deformation was found to be directly or inversely proportional, depending on the isolator shock and boundary layer properties. The formation, growth, and movement of the boundary layer recirculation regions in the isolator played the most critical role in determining the intake flowfield response, performance, and unstart characteristics.

Grantor dc:publisher

UNSW, Sydney

Year dc:date

2021

Author dc:creator

• Bhattrai, Sudip

• Off-design
• Hypersonics
• Aeroelasticity
• Intake
• Inlet
• Propulsion
• Performance
• Unstart

Statement dc:rights

• open access
• CC BY-NC-ND 3.0
• free_to_read

Licence

• https://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
• https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/au/

Language dc:language

EN

Identifier

https://doi.org/10.26190/unsworks/22646

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:unsworks.library.unsw.edu.au:1959.4/71010