On The Scaling And Unsteadiness Of Shock Induced Separation

Shock wave boundary layer interactions (SWBLI) are a common phenomenon in transonic and supersonic flows. The presence of shock waves, induced by specific geometrical configurations, cause a rapid increase of the pressure, wich can lead to flow separation. Examples of such interaction are found in amongts other rocket engine nozzles, on re-entry vehicles, in supersonic and hypersonic engine intakes, and at the tips of compressor and turbine blades. The interactions are important factors in vehicle development. Both the separated flow and the induced shock have been shows to be highly unsteady, causing pressure fluctuations and thermal loading. This generally leads to a degraded performance and possibly structural failure. The current work therefore aims to improve the physical understanding of the mechanisms that govern the interaction, with a special attention for the flow organisation and for the sources of the unsteadiness of the induced shock. Additioinally, it is verified wether the interaction can be controlled by means of upstream fluid injection. PIV measurements were performed, comparing several interactions for a range of shock intensities for a number of Mach and Reynolds numbers. It is proposed that relative importance of the different unsteadiness mechanisms (upstream, downstream) shifts with the imposed shock intensity. The onset of separation is Reynolds number independent for turbulent boundary layers. The interaction length is however governed by the both the Reynolds number and the Mach number.