On Hammershock Propagation in a Supersonic Flow Field

A wind tunnel test program was conducted to acquire flow-field data during a supersonic propulsion system compressor stall and inlet unstart sequence. The propulsion system consisted of a mixed-compression, two-dimensional bifurcated inlet coupled to a General Electric J85-13 turbojet engine. The propulsion system was mounted beneath a large flat plate that simulated an underwing propulsion pod installation. Transient flow-field pitot pressure and wing simulator surface static pressure data were acquired during multiple compressor stall and inlet unstart events at a free-stream Mach number of 2.20. The experimental results obtained in this investigation indicate that a supersonic propulsion system compressor stall-inlet unstart transient event adversely affects the surrounding local flow field. The data show that the stall-unstart event affects the surrounding flow field on a millisecond time scale and causes a three-dimensional expanding wave front called a hammershock to propagate outward from the inlet. The flow nearest the wing simulator separates from the surface during the transient event. At the end of the transient event, a distinct process occurs wherein the affected flow field recovers to free-stream conditions and the wing simulator boundary layer reattaches to the flow surface