AN EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF HYPERSONIC FLOW AROUND A SLENDER CONE

Abstract : The paper presents the results of an experimental survey of the flow field around a sharp, 10 degree half angle cone. Tests were conducted at a free stream Mach number of 7.7 for a range of free stream Reynolds numbers of 110,000 to 171,000 per foot. Surface heat transfer data indicates that the cone boundary layer varies from laminar to fully developed turbulent over this Reynolds number range. The base pressure variation was also obtained throughout this range of Reynolds numbers; from this, the interrelation between the surface boundary layer properties and the base pressure is discussed. A series of tests were conducted in the near wake region at two different values of free stream Reynolds number, i.e., 330,000 and 1,650,000 per foot, corresponding to a completely laminar and fully developed turbulent surface boundary layer at the cone shoulder, respectively. The relationship between boundary layer properties and near wake properties is studied.