Numerical solutions of hypersonic near-wake flow by the particle-in cell method

Abstract

Theoretical solutions of near wake flow have been obtained by application of the particle-in-cell numerical teohnique to hypersonic flow over the base of a cylindrical afterbody. Using the invisoid equations of motion and a uniform upstream flow, the flow angle after separation was found to be much smaller than experimental slender-body results suggested. However, the inclusion of a vortical layer representative of a boundary layer on the body resulted in a realistic wake flow pattern, although the lack of true viscosity was apparent in the profiles of flow properties. It is concluded that satisfactory near wake solutions by this method might be obtained by the use of realistic viscosity terms throughout the flow field and of a much finer representation of the approaching boundary layer, but the required computing power would be presently impracticable.