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Expanding the Natural Laminar Flow Boundary for Supersonic TransportsA computational design and analysis methodology is being developed to design a vehicle that can support significant regions of natural laminar flow (NLF) at supersonic flight conditions. The methodology is built in the CDISC design module to be used in this paper with the flow solvers Cart3D and USM3D, and the transition prediction modules BLSTA3D and LASTRAC. The NLF design technique prescribes a target pressure distribution for an existing geometry based on relationships between modal instability wave growth and pressure gradients. The modal instability wave growths (both on- and off-axes crossflow and Tollmien-Schlichting) are balanced to produce a pressure distribution that will have a theoretical maximum NLF region for a given streamwise wing station. An example application is presented showing the methodology on a generic supersonic transport wingbody configuration. The configuration has been successfully redesigned to support significant regions of NLF (approximately 40% of the wing upper surface by surface area). Computational analysis predicts NLF with transition Reynolds numbers (ReT) as high as 36 million with 72 degrees of leading-edge sweep (ΛLE), significantly expanding the current boundary of ReT - ΛLE combinations for NLF. This NLF geometry provides a total drag savings of 4.3 counts compared to the baseline wing-body configuration (approximately 5% of total drag). Off-design evaluations at near-cruise and low-speed, high-lift conditions are discussed, as well as attachment line contamination/transition concerns. This computational NLF design effort is a part of an ongoing cooperative agreement between NASA and JAXA researchers.
Document ID
20160010025
Acquisition Source
Langley Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Lynde, Michelle N. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Campbell, Richard L. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 4, 2016
Publication Date
June 13, 2016
Subject Category
Aerodynamics
Report/Patent Number
NF1676L-22754
Meeting Information
Meeting: 2016 AIAA Aviation Technology, Integration, and Operations Conference
Location: Washington, DC
Country: United States
Start Date: June 13, 2016
End Date: June 17, 2016
Sponsors: American Inst. of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Funding Number(s)
WBS: WBS 110076.02.07.03.12
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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