International Journal of Modern Physics B
2040078 (5 pages)
© World Scientific Publishing Company
DOI: 10.1142/S0217979220400780
by UPPSALA UNIVERSITY on 06/08/20. Re-use and distribution is strictly not permitted, except for Open Access articles.
Aerothermal prediction of hypersonic flow
around spherical capsule model using IDDES approach
Chen Li∗ , Qi-Long Guo, Dong Sun and Han-Xin Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Aerodynamics,
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China Aerodynamics Research and Development Center,
Mianyang, Sichuan 621000, P. R. China
∗
[email protected] Received 15 September 2019
Accepted 15 February 2020
Published 30 May 2020
The prediction of heat transfer for blunt bodies in hypersonic flows remains a great
challenge. In particular, the uncertainties are larger in the leeside due to the complexity
of the wake flow. Generally, the heat transfer is over-predicted using the Reynolds-
averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) models. In this paper, the improved delayed detached
eddy simulation (IDDES) method is used to simulate the Mach 6 flow around a scaled
spherical capsule model. In addition, a low dissipative WENO scheme is used for inviscid
fluxes and dual-time stepping method is applied for time advancement. Results are
compared to experimental data for mean and instantaneous heat transfer in the leeside
of the aftbody. It is shown that the integrated error is 75.49% for RANS while 35.69%
for IDDES method. Moreover, the multi-scale structures in the separation region are
also resolved well by the IDDES method.
Keywords: Hypersonic flow; heat transfer; IDDES method; WENO scheme.
PACS numbers: 47.27.E-, 47.40.-x
1. Introduction
With the continuous human exploration to space, manned space technology has
received extensive attention worldwide. As a vehicle for astronauts returning to
the earth, the aerodynamic and aerothermodynamic characteristics of the reentry
capsule are the key issues in manned space engineering. In particular, the thermal
protection system is crucial during the design phase of reentry capsules. Most
∗ Corresponding author.
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C. Li et al.
researches have mainly focused on the forebody flow due to its dominant heating
rate, in contrast, few works are related to the wake flow on the aftbody of the vehicle.
For studying the transition of aftbody wake flows, a series of experiments were
conducted by MacLean et al.1 over a scaled Orion capsule model in the 48” reflected
wind tunnel at CUBRC. In particular, Run2 represents a high Reynolds number
case in the experiments, and it has been used to evaluate the performance of the
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turbulence model. Barnhardt et al.2 pointed out that the numerical simulation
by Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) models can obtain an averaged flow
filed but yield a significant error in regions of massively separated flows, whereas the
detached eddy simulation (DES) method can provide a better choice for wake flows.
These simulations2 are performed on a fairly coarse mesh using first-order temporal
and second-order upwind numerical method. Comparisons are made with a low
dissipative KEC scheme on a refined mesh by Brock et al.,3 Liu et al.4 considered
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the compressibility correction effect of DES method in this case, they thought the
results are improved to some extent compared with the original DES approach.
Moreover, Salazar and Edwards5 provided an alternative approach by introducing
a modification to the blending from RANS to large eddy simulation (LES) for this
problem. Very recently, Xiao et al.6 simulated this problem by the delayed DES
(DDES) model with k − ω − γ transition model. From the aforementioned papers,
we can see that the accurate turbulent model, high accurate numerical schemes and
well-made mesh are three important factors for the simulation of wake flow.
In this paper, we simulated the hypersonic flows around the scaled spherical
capsule model by improved DDES (IDDES) approach based on Spalart–Allmaras
turbulent model. The mean and instantaneous heat transfer at the leeside is mainly
presented in the following.
2. Numerical Setup
The Run2 case is considered in this study. The geometry of the scaled Orion-like
model in the experiment1 is shown in Figs. 1(a) and 1(b).The free-stream Mach
number is 6.41, the Reynolds number 4.24 × 107 /m, the angle of attack is 28◦ , and
the free stream temperature is 73.76 K. The gauges of heat transfer were installed on
the model surface, as shown in Fig. 1(c), where the 0◦ ray corresponds to the most
leeward side. The computational mesh and the boundary conditions are presented
in Fig. 1(d). The grid number is near 23 million. The wall is set as an isothermal
wall with the temperature of 295.56 K. A perfect gas is assumed here due to its low
free stream enthalpy.
The simulations are conducted by a three dimensional structured finite-
difference Navier–Stokes in-house solver, which was mainly developed to resolve
the unsteady turbulent flows. The IDDES approach is used here. The improved
third-order WENO scheme7 and second-order central difference schemes are used
for convective and diffusion terms, respectively. The dual time stepping method is
used for temporal advancing.
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Aerothermal prediction of hypersonic flow around spherical capsule model
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Fig. 1. (Color online) Details of Orion-like model: the geometry of (a) the full experimental model
and (b) the capsule part, (c) heat transfer gauges on the model base and (d) the computational
mesh and boundary conditions.
3. Results and Discussions
3.1. Flow structures
Flow visualizations are shown in Fig. 2. A strong bow shock wave (SW) forms in
front of the forebody. The expansion waves appear as the flow pass by the shoulder.
On windward side of aftbody, the flow remains basically attached and steady until
it flows to the base of the capsule model, creating a small unsteady recirculating
region that interacts with the sting mount. However, on leeward side of aftbody,
the flow separates and forms a large recirculation zone. The shear layer appears
owing to the different velocities inside and outside of the recirculation zone, and it
Fig. 2. (Color online) Instantaneous flow structures of (a) temperature contours and streamlines
and (b) iso-surface of Q-criterion.
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C. Li et al.
eventually merges, forming a “neck” with two recompression SWs on both sides. A
pair of streamwise vortices are formed behind the capsule, and some vortex rings
are observed on the streamwise vortices. Furthermore, strong interactions also exist
between the wake flow of the capsule and that of the sting.
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3.2. Mean heat transfer comparison
The mean heat transfer along various rays computed by IDDES method are com-
pared with the RANS results, as shown in Fig. 3. No clear differences are observed
for attached flows on the windward side. However, large discrepancies are found for
wake flows on the leeward side, where the heat transfer is over-predicted for the
RANS model especially along the 0◦ ray. The integrated normalized rms error5 on
the leeside of aftbody is 75.49% for RANS while it is 35.69% for IDDES method.
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Fig. 3. (Color online) Mean heat transfer of the leeward side along different rays.
Fig. 4. (Color online) Instantaneous heat transfer: (a) Time history of heat transfer at gauge 42
and (b) its corresponding PSD.
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Aerothermal prediction of hypersonic flow around spherical capsule model
3.3. Time history of heat transfer
The results are processed with a sampling frequency of 100 kHz. Time history of
heat transfer at gauge 42 and its frequency spectrum are presented in Fig. 4. It can
be observed that the magnitude and the amplitude offluctuations agree well with
the experimental data. The spectrum obtained by the results of improved WENO3-
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LS are better than that of original one. The high-frequency part is damped due to
excessive dissipation of WENO3-JS.
4. Conclusions
In this paper, the performance of the IDDES approach based on S–A turbulent
model is assessed for the hypersonic flow around a spherical capsule. First, the
unsteady hypersonic wake flows can be resolved. Second, the heat transfer on the
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leeward side agrees well instantaneously and statistically with the experimental
data.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by Feng Lei Youth Innovation Fund of CARDC (Grant
No. FLYIF20170007) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant
No. 11802324).
References
1. M. MacLean et al., Experimental and Numerical Study of Laminar and Turbulent Base
Flow on a Spherical Capsule, 2009, doi:10.2514/6.2009-783.
2. M. Barnhardt, G. V. Candler and M. MacLean, CFD Analysis of CUBRC Base Flow
Experiments, 2010, doi:10.2514/6.2010-1250.
3. J. M. Brock, P. K. Subbareddy and G. V. Candler, AIAA J. 53, 70 (2015).
4. J. Liu et al., J. Beijing Univ. Aeronaut. Astron. 39, 590 (2013) (in Chinese).
5. G. Salazar and J. R. Edwards, J. Spacecr. Rockets 51, 1329 (2014).
6. Z. Xiao et al., Int. J. Heat Mass Transf. 137, 90 (2019).
7. C. C. Na, Predictions of Heat Transfer in Hypersonic Viscous Flows by an Im-
proved Third-order WENO Scheme, Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering, Vol. 459
(Springer, 2019), pp. 703–710, doi:10.1007/978-981-13-3305-7 56.
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