An approximate viscous shock layer approach to calculating hypersonic flows about blunt-nosed bodies

An approximate axisymmetric method has been developed which can reliably calculate fully viscous hypersonic flows over blunt-nosed bodies. By substituting Maslen's second order pressure expression for the normal momentum equation, a simplified form of the viscous shock layer (VSL) equations is obtained. This approach can solve both the subsonic and supersonic regions of the shock layer without a starting solution for the shock shape. Since the method is fully viscous, the problems associated with coupling a boundary-layer solution with an inviscid-layer solution are avoided. This procedure is significantly faster than the parabolized Navier-Stokes (PNS) or VSL solvers and would be useful in a preliminary design environment. Problems associated with a previously developed approximate VSL technique are addressed. Surface heat transfer and pressure predictions are comparable to both VSL results and experimental data. The present technique generates its own shock shape as part of its solution, and therefore could be used to provide more accurate initial shock shapes for higher-order procedures which require starting solutions.