Boundary-layer separation on isolated boattail nozzles

Abstract

An angle of attack of 0 deg was investigated in the Langley 16 foot transonic tunnel at free-stream Mach numbers from 0.40 to 0.95 to study the phenomenon of separated flow on a series of circular-arc afterbodies. Both high-pressure air and solid circular cylinders with the cylinder diameter equal to the nozzle-exit diameter were used to simulate jet exhausts. The results indicate that boundary-layer separation is most extensive on steep boattails at high Mach numbers. The jet total-pressure ratio changes (jet total pressure to free-stream static pressure) affected the extent of separation very little; however, comparison of the separation data obtained by using the two jet-simulation techniques indicate that entrainment associated with the presence of a jet had a significant effect on the extent of separation. The solid-simulator separation data were also used to evaluate the predictions of eight separation criteria.