Experimental Investigation of the Shock Wave/Boundary Layer Interaction at a Compression Corner Model

The separation of the boundary layer is one of the main failures in scramjets due to its influence on the amount of oxygen used in combustion, reducing thrust and specific impulse. The main objective of this paper was to perform experimental investigations to study the shock wave/boundary layer interaction and boundary layer separation. The models were designed for the study of this interaction when there is a change in the surface of the body through a compression corner. The tests were carried out in a shock tunnel at a nominal Mach number of 6.5 and 8.5, using compression ramps of 20 deg. and 30 deg. Compression ramp models made of aluminum and 3D printed were designed and produced. The flow analysis was performed using pressure sensors and the schlieren image technique. As a result of these experiments, it was possible to visualize the leading edge shock, the normal shock wave, the boundary layer, the adverse pressure gradient, the flow separation structure, including the separation bubble and the reattachment of the boundary layer, the recompression shock and the shock-shock interaction. In addition, it was possible to evaluate the influence on the flow structure as the compression angle, Mach number, pressure and surface quality of the models are varied.