An Integral Analysis of Turbulent Reattachment Applied to Plane Supersonic Base Flows

Abstract

A conceptually simple control volume analysis of plane turbulent reattachment in isoenergetic base/wake regions with no mass bleed, has been demonstrated to yield wall static pressure distributions which are in reasonable agreement with available measurements for approach Mach numbers up to 4.5. The analysis, which assumes free interaction in the reattachment region, utilizes a numerical search technique to determine conditions which satisfy the necessary integral conservation equations and geometric conditions. The successful prediction of pressure distributions by this theory tends to confirm (i) the validity of the Chapman-Korst isentropic escape criterion as a satisfactory technique for identification of the dividing streamline rather than as a thermodynamic specification of the dividing streamline stagnation process, (ii) the feasibility of ignoring both upstream boundary layer and corner flow influences in the determination of conditions in the lower portion of the free shear layer, and (iii) the suitability of utilizing a first-order free interaction analysis for obtaining indicative results for the redeveloping wall layer downstream of reattachment.