Time-Accurate Numerical Prediction of Free-Flight Aerodynamics of a Finned Projectile

TLDR: In this article, an advanced time-accurate Navier-Stokes computational technique has been used in computational fluid dynamics to compute the unsteady aerodynamics associated with the free flight of a finned projectile at supersonic speeds.

Abstract: This article describes a new multidisciplinary computational study undertaken to compute the flight trajectories and simultaneously predict the unsteady free-flight aerodynamics of a finned projectile configuration. Actual flight trajectories are computed using an advanced coupled computational fluid dynamics/rigid body dynamics technique in a body-fixed coordinate system. An advanced time-accurate Navier–Stokes computational technique has been used in computational fluid dynamics to compute the unsteady aerodynamics associated with the free flight of the finned projectile at supersonic speeds. Computed positions and orientations of the projectile have been compared with actual data measured from free-flight tests and are found to be generally in good agreement with the data. Predicted aerodynamics forces and moments also compare well with the forces and moments used in the 6 degree of freedom fits of the results of the same tests. Unsteady numerical results obtained from the coupled method show the flowfield, the aerodynamic coefficients, and the flight paths of the projectile.