Design of a Surrogate Hypersonic Inlet for the HIFIRE-6 Configuration

Abstract

Shock wave-boundary layer interactions can significantly impact the operability of high-speed inlets by inducing flow separation. This flow separation is difficult to visualize in three-dimensional, inward-turning inlets because of the curved surfaces that form their internal flow paths. To remedy this challenge, a surrogate test article was created. Using the results from a previously completed Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) analysis of the HIFiRE-6, a surrogate inlet with a rectangular isolator section was streamline-traced, allowing for the use of schlieren imagery to capture the separation bubble. This thesis discusses the process of developing the test article. Experimental results from a planned future test entry will be compared to CFD results and wind tunnel results from previous tests, to examine the suitability of this surrogate

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