Numerical Simulation of Three-Dimensional Boattail Afterbody Flowfields

The thin shear-layer approximations of the three-dimensional, compressible Navier-Stokes equations are solved for subsonic, transonic, and supersonic now over axisymmetric boattail bodies at moderate angles of attack. The plume is simulated by a solid body configuration identical to those used In experimental tests. An implicit algorithm of second-order accuracy is used to solve the equations on the ILLIAC 4 computer. The turbulence is expressed by an algebraic model applicable to three-dimensional flowfields with moderate separation. The formulation used is attractive in its independence of boundary-layer parameters. Such a simple model, however, is incapable of supporting detailed quantitative descriptions of complex shear flows. Never-the-less, good qualitative comparisons are found with three different sets of experimental date. Quantitative improvement will depend on improved turbulence transport descriptions.