Simulating hypersonic flow transitions from smooth to turbulent
Tuesday, November 6, 2018 - 14:10
in Physics & Chemistry
To break out of Earth's lower orbit, hypersonic vehicles must reach speeds greater than Mach 5. At these hypersonic speeds, the air particles and gases that flow around the vehicle and interact with the surfaces generate heat and create shock waves that disturb the flow's equilibrium. Researchers created a model to simulate and better understand flow transitions.