N-Factor Computations for the X-33 Vehicle

Abstract

N-Factor computations for the X-33 vehicle on the lower side of the body were per-formed. The transition prediction code e-Malik was used to compute the N-Factors and the meanflow field was computed using the CFD code LAURA. The computations are done at two angles of attack 30 and 40 degrees and the freestream Mach number and Reynolds number are M= 6 and Re = 7.7* 10(exp 6). The N-Factors obtained are very low in the range of 2-3 near the experimentally observed transition onset regions. The stability computations show that at 30 degrees angle of attack, the transition occurs due to crossflow instability and at higher angles of attack the transition occurs due to first mode inviscid instability.