Control of Aerodynamic Drag and Heating of Nose Cones Through Taper Spikes

Abstract

The present work numerically and experimentally investigates Mach 5.8 flow past passively modified nose cone configurations such as taper/stepped taper spiked, spherically blunted, and parabolic nose cones at a fineness ratio of 3.6 and zero angle of attack in order to determine the best passively modified geometry that provides the control of both the aerodynamic drag coefficient and surface heat flux. The velocity vectors show the flow directions/ recirculation zones and so on at the root of the taper as well as stepped taper spikes, whereas the Mach number contours show the features of shock in front of the taper/stepped taper spikes as well as the nose tip of the taper/stepped taper spiked blunted and parabolic nose cones. The present study reveals that the “stepped taper spiked parabolic nose cone” configuration provides lowest aerodynamic drag coefficient and surface heat flux as compared with all the other nose cone configurations investigated. The modifications in the flow/shock features such as the conversion of strong curved shock into weaker oblique shock waves, flow deceleration, and so on, at the root of the spike due to backward-facing steps in “stepped taper spiked parabolic nose cone” may be the reason for achieving lower aerodynamic drag/heating.