Similarity of the flow of strongly underexpanded gas jets exhausting into a hypersonic flow (Q797414)

The possibility of hypersonic flow similarity is discussed in the case of a supersonic underexpanded gas jet exhausting into a supersonic flow. In the limit case of high Mach numbers and high ratio of the pressure of the jet over the pressure of the surrounding flow the flow field contains a strong discontinuity representing the boundary of the jet, a strong shock wave in the parallel stream and a strong reflected shock wave within the jet. The integration of the momentum flux across the jet as well as the integration of the momentum flux across the shock wave and the discussion of the gasdynamic equations for the jet flow as well as the discussion of the behaviour of the surrounding flow leads to the introduction of special dimensionless variables. Finally one gets the result that the whole flow can be described with the help of three typical hypersonic similarity parameters, mainly a parameter composed of a Mach number and a simple function of the initial angle of inclination of the jet boundary. Thus the connection with usual hypersonic similarity parameters is established for the whole flow. The results obtained are corroberated by numerical calculations. The advantages of the derived solutions compared with those of the quoted literature which establish similarity only within special regimes of the flow field or which use more complicated variables are mentioned.