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Numerical studies of transonic BZT gas flows around thin airfoils

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 October 1999

CHUN-WEI WANG
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering and Mechanics, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180-3590, USA Present address: Department of System Engineering, Chung–Cheng Institute of Technology, Ta–Shi, Taoyuan 33509, Taiwan, R.O.C.
ZVI RUSAK
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering and Mechanics, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180-3590, USA

Abstract

Numerical studies of two-dimensional, transonic flows of dense gases of retrograde type, known as BZT gases, around thin airfoils are presented. The computations are guided by a recent asymptotic theory of Rusak & Wang (1997). It provides a uniformly valid solution of the flow around the entire airfoil surface which is composed of outer and inner solutions. A new transonic small-disturbance (TSD) equation solver is developed to compute the nonlinear BZT gas flow in the outer region around most of the airfoil. The flow in the inner region near the nose of the airfoil is computed by solving the problem of a sonic flow around a parabola. Numerical results of the composite solutions calculated from the asymptotic formula are compared with the solutions of the Euler equations. The comparison demonstrates that, in the leading order, the TSD solutions of BZT gas flows represent the essence of the flow character around the airfoil as computed from the Euler equations. Furthermore, guided by the asymptotic formula, the computational results demonstrate the similarity rules for transonic flows of BZT gases. There are differences between the self-similar cases that may be related to the error associated with the accuracy of the asymptotic solution. A discussion on the flow patterns around an airfoil at transonic speeds and at various upstream thermodynamic conditions is also presented. The paper provides important guidelines for future studies on this subject.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 1999 Cambridge University Press

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