A Generalized Variational Method and Its Applications in Design of the Single-Jack Flexible Nozzle

Abstract

Nozzle facilities, which can generate high Mach number flows, are the core portions of the supersonic wind tunnel. Different from traditional fixed nozzles, a flexible nozzle can deform to designed contours and supply steady core flows in several Mach numbers. Due to the high-quality demands from the thermo-aerodynamic testing, the deformation of the flexible nozzle plate should be carefully designed. This problem is usually converted into the large deformation problem of a cantilever with movable hinge boundary conditions. In this paper, a generalized variational method is established to analyze the deformation behavior of the flexible nozzle. By introducing axial deformation constraint and Lagrange multiplier, an analytical model is derived to predict the deformed morphology of the flexible plate. Finite element analyses (FEA) of a single-jack flexible nozzle model is performed to examine the predicted deformations and reaction forces. Furthermore, the large deformation experiments of an elastic cantilever with a movable hinge connection are carried out to simulate the scenarios in supersonic flexible nozzle facility. Both the FEA and experimental results show high accuracy of current theoretical model in deformation predictions. This method can also serve as a general approach in the design of flexible mechanisms with movable boundaries.