- By:
- Shoemake, William L; Hall, Christopher L; Olshefski, Kristopher T; Nutter, Nicole F; Glasby, Ryan S
- Page Number:
- 2024
- Book Title:
- AIAA Aviation Forum and ASCEND co-located Conference Proceedings
- Publication Date:
- March 12, 2026
- Publisher Location:
- AIAA, United States of America
- Conference Name:
- AIAA Aviation
- Conference Location:
- Las Vegas, Nevada, United States of America
- Conference Sponsor:
- AIAA
- View DOI Listing:
- https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2024-4587
Abstract
A non-intrusive laser diagnostic known as molecular tagging velocimetry was used to find quantitative off-body velocity measurements in the wake of a sphere in the Mach 7 Ludwieg Tube Wind Tunnel located at The University of Texas at San Antonio. Acetone gas seeded in the flow was excited using the 4th harmonic of a pulse-burst Nd:YAG laser. The experimental results were used to validate and compare to simulations using a continuous Galerkin flow solver. Both the experimental and simulated results agreed on negative velocities in the viscous shear layer. Near the centerline of the sphere, average velocities of -200 m/s were observed due to reverse flow in the recirculation region. Outside of the shear layer, velocities of 800 m/s were observed in both the experimental and simulated results. The overall average uncertainty for the strut-mounted and free-flight case was estimated to be ±27 m/s. The flow features of the wake were visualized using schlieren imaging, and the experimental results agreed well with the simulated results.
