NASA NTRS1997
This work is part of the ongoing qualification of the NASA Ames Laminar Flow Supersonic Wind Tunnel (LFSWT) as a low-disturbance (quiet) facility suitable for transition research. A 10 deg cone was tested over a range of unit Reynolds numbers (Re = 2.8 to 3.8 million per foot (9.2 to 12.5 million per meter)) and angles of incidence (O deg to 10 deg) at Mach 1.6. The location of boundary layer transition along the cone was measured primarily from surface temperature distributions, with oil flow interferometry and Schlieren flow visualization providing confirmation measurements. With the LFSWT in its normal quiet operating mode, no transition was detected on the cone in the test core, over the Reynolds number range tested at zero incidence and yaw. Increasing the pressure disturbance levels in the LFSWT test section by a factor of five caused transition onset on the cone within the test core, at zero incidence and yaw. When operating the LFSWT in its normal quiet mode, transition could only be detected in the test core when high angles of incidence (greater than 5 deg) for cones were set. Transition due to elevated pressure disturbances (Tollmien-Schlichting) and surface trips produced a skin temperature rise of order 4 F (2.2 C). Transition due to cross flows on the leeward side of the cone at incidence produced a smaller initial temperature rise of only order 2.5 F (1.4 C), which indicates a slower transition process. We can conclude that these cone tests add further proof that the LFSWT test core is normally low-disturbance (pressure fluctuations greater than 0.1%), as found by associated direct flow quality measurements discussed in this report. Furthermore, in a quiet test environment, the skin temperature rise is sensitive to the type of dominant instability causing transition. The testing of a cone in the LFSWT provides an excellent experiment for the development of advanced transition detection techniques.