Analysis of shock waves over novel supersonic aircraft profiles using shadowgraph

The present report contains experimental and theoretical investigation of the shock wave formation over three different supersonic aircraft profiles (wind tunnel models). The experimental phase of this study was conducted at the Gas Dynamics Laboratory at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Chennai, in a supersonic wind tunnel (Mach 2) which is briefly described in the report. The wind tunnel models were indigenously developed and subjected to wind tunnel test at Mach 1.73. The formation of different types of shocks over the models was studied and analyzed using the shadowgraph setup. Shock angles for different flow deflection angles were determined and the experimental data was found to be in accordance with the theoretical analysis of the shock. Attached oblique shock was observed during experimentation of models A and B and detached shock was observed in the third model C. The flow properties and the thermodynamic properties of air before and after the shock were analyzed at Mach 1.73 at zero AOA. The standoff distance of the detached shock wave was recorded and the shape of the shock was studied. The experimental models were also analyzed using Gambit and Fluent software for compressible turbulent flow, k-epsilon viscous model and density based solver. A general discussion of the existing theories and their comparison with experimental data is presented in the later section of the report.