Profiling the optimal contour of a supersonic nozzle in highly turned flow (Q1903963)

The variational problem of constructing the wall of the supersonic part of a plane or axisymmetric nozzle of maximum thrust is solved for cases where the flow, in its smallest section, makes a large angle with the thrust vector, and a beam of rarefaction waves appears in the flow past the boundary of the second wall, which ends in the smallest cross- section. Optimality is proved in calculations which involve the use of the general method of Lagrange multipliers. Examples of optimal plane nozzles with uniform sonic flow, perpendicular to the component of the thrust vector to be optimized, demonstrate that the solution holds over a wide range of sizes.