Simulation Example: Wedge vs Cone

Overview

Supersonic vehicles have particular shapes to better interact with the air that surrounds them. In supersonic airplanes, like the Concorde, we can see that the nose has a conical or almost conical shape, to take advantage of the three-dimensional relieving effects and improve the performance of the vehicle. In this simulation example we will analyze how the shape of a body can affect the flow characteristics

Objectives

The objective of this simulation example is to learn how to simulate the oblique shock generated by an object with a sharp nose. This example will show how a wedge and a cone flying at the same Mach number have different flows surrounding them.

Setup

Download the Mesh file required for setting up the simulation and associated Case and Data files here. Follow the instructions below to set up this simulation in Ansys Fluent starting with the Mesh file. In case you face any issues setting up or running the simulation, refer to the corresponding initial and final Case and Data files.

Alternate video link.

Results and Discussion

Let’s now analyze the simulation and understand the physics of supersonic flows over wedges and cones.