EngineeringAerospace EngineeringMechanical EngineeringAerodynamicsFluid DynamicsFluid MechanicsAerodynamic TestingAirfoil TheoryExperimental AerodynamicsExternal AerodynamicsSupersonic AerodynamicsTurbulent FlowCone Angle AnalysisMach NumberMach Number Effects
RECENTLY completed study1 of base pressure for sphere cone configurations at zero angle of attack in turbulent flow has shown that base pressure is a strong function of both cone angle and bluntness ratio. The study is based on a correlation of flight test base pressure data from a matrix of full scale flight vehicles having various cone angles and bluntness ratios. The study has shown that base pressure is governed largely by the local flow properties (Mach number and pressure) preceding the base, thus confirming the conclusions drawn by Love, 2 Chapman,3 and Whitfield and Potter4 in previous studies. Figure 1 presents the correlation that shows the variation of the ratio of base pressure to local cone pressure with local Mach number preceding the base. The correlation is shown as a single curve that represents a fairing through an aggre