DAMPING OF SURFACE PRESSURE-FLUCTUATIONS IN HYPERSONIC TURBULENT-FLOW PAST EXPANSION CORNERS

Surface pressure fluctuations of Mach 8 turbulent flow past a 2.5- and a 4.25-deg expansion corner maintained a Gaussian distribution but were severely attenuated by the expansion process. The pressure fluctuations did not recover to those of an equilibrium turbulent flow even though the mean pressures reached downstream inviscid values in four to six boundary-layer thicknesses. The fluctuations were convected with a velocity comparable to that on a flat plate, and they maintained their identities longer for the stronger expansion. The damping of pressure fluctuations at hypersonic Mach numbers, even by small corner angles, may be exploited in fatigue design.