Inviscid Solution of the Steady., Hypersonic Near Wake by a Time-Dependent Method

The steady near wake of a slender, two-dimensional flat-based body at hypersonic velocity is analyzed within the context of an inviscid, rotational flow. The upstream boundary layer is considered the source of vorticity convected into the base region; the generation of additional viscous stresses within this region, heat transfer to the base, and diffusion of the vorticity are neglected. The over-all structure of the base flow pattern is the result of an inviscid interaction between the subsonic, recirculating flow and the outer, supersonic rotational stream. In this sense the proposed model represents the first term in the conventional asymptotic expansion in inverse powers of Reynolds number by which viscous effects are identified and systematically determined. Numerical solutions are carried out by a time-dependent method known as the two-step Lax-Wendroff technique. The steady-state solution is obtained asymptotically ; in this manner the complexities associated with the steady problem are effectively circumvented. Comparisons with experimental data are presented.