MAE Seminar

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Prediction of Aerothermodynamic Loading and Flight Control Using Energy Deposition: Two Aspects of Hypersonic Flight

NADIA KIANVASHRAD, PH.D.

POSTDOCTORATE ASSOCIATE AT RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY

Abstract:  There is a recent reinterest in developing hypersonic vehicles for public transportation and space travel.  An example is the Boeing hypersonic passenger aircraft and SpaceX commercial Spaceflight.  To achieve this goal, scientists should successfully overcome several challenges.  One of the challenges that aerodynamicists encounter is the accurate prediction of aerothermodynamic loading (surface pressure, heat transfer, and skin friction) as a result of the shock wave boundary layer interaction on the body.  These interactions can create regions of high surface pressure and heat transfer. Failure in accurate prediction of these regions and the maximum load on the surface may result in structural failure.  Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is one of the tools used for the prediction of surface pressure and heat transfer.  However, the consistent prediction of the aerothermodynamic loading has not been achieved especially at high enthalpy hypersonic flows where the non-equilibrium effects are important.  Due to the complexity of the physics involved, the prediction of aerothermodynamic loading at hypersonic flows is divided into two subcategories: 1) turbulent shock wave boundary layer interaction of perfect gas and 2) laminar show wave boundary layer interaction of non-equilibrium flow.  Another challenge in the development of hypersonic vehicles is steering and maneuvering the vehicle at hypersonic speed.  The conventional controlling methods use surface deflection.  In hypersonic flight, during the actuation time of the controlling surface, the vehicle moves several times its length.  Therefore, there is a need to develop new methods for the rapid maneuvering of vehicles at hypersonic speeds.  Such a method is energy deposition (laser discharge, microwave discharge, etc.).  The blast wave and heated region created by the energy deposited upstream of the body change the flowfield, and therefore, change the pressure distribution over the surface.  The change in the pressure distribution generates side force, drag reduction, and pitching moment that can be used for steering of the vehicle.

Dr. Nadia Kianvashrad is a Postdoctorate Associate at the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in New Brunswick, NJ.  Her research interests are simulations of non-equilibrium high speed flows, Large Eddy Simulation of hypersonic flows, and flow and flight control at high speeds using energy deposition.  She received her Ph. D from Rutgers University and her B.S. and M.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Sharif University in Tehran.