Design optimization of a multi row disk inlet device with an optimum nose cone angle

Abstract

The inlet is designed to compress the air and increase static pressure. In the present work, analyses have been carried out using 2D axisymmetric Reynolds averaged Navier Stokes equations (RANS) equations to capture the flow physics of the shock structure produced by the multi-row disk inlet device at different semi-cone angles. The present work involves numerical studies on the shock structure over the disk. Drag coefficient, pressure variation, and vortex behavior with separation layers have been observed with various semi-cone angles of 12°, 15°, and 20° at the steady-state condition and zero angles of attack. At the free stream Mach number 2 and turbulence model k-o SST, simulations have been carried out using commercial software. Compression through the cavity structure and the drag coefficient analysis at 20° shows better trade-off performance than the others. We also obtained that 20° is the maximum semi-cone angle for the current disk set-up and the operating conditions.