Shock-turbulence interactions in a rocket nozzle
Britton Olson, Stanford University
The complex interaction between shock waves and turbulence is a phenomenon that governs many engineering processes. In supersonic rocket nozzles, large shock waves interact with the turbulent boundary layer and can cause side loads which can have undesirable effects. We present results from a large-eddy simulation which models a recent experiment designed to elucidate the complex interaction of these phenomena. Our simulation shows excellent agreement with the experiment, including the capturing of a large flow asymmetry which was observed experimentally. We present the fundamental results of our calculation and briefly explain the physical mechanisms which govern this process.
Abstract Author(s): Britton J. Olson, Sanjiva K. Lele