Direct simulation Monte Carlo of rarefied hypersonic flow on power law shaped leading edges

A numerical study of several parameters that influence the flowfield structure, aerodynamic surface quantities and shock wave structure at rarefied hypersonic flow conditions is conducted on power law shaped leading edges. The calculations are performed with a detailed computer code that properly accounts for nonequilibrium effects and that has been demonstrated to yield excellent comparisons with flight- and ground-test data. The flowfield structure, aerodynamic surface quantities and shock wave structure of power law shaped leading edges are examined in order to provide information on how well these shapes could stand as possible candidates for blunting geometries of hypersonic leading edges. Newtonian flow analysis has shown that these shapes exhibit both blunt and sharp aerodynamic properties. Moreover, computational investigation of minimum-drag bodies at supersonic and moderate hypersonic speeds has indicated that power law shapes for certain exponents yield the lowest wave drag. These qualities make power law shapes strong candidates for leading edge design.; A very detailed description of the impact on the flow properties, such as velocity, density, temperature and pressure, has been presented separately in the vicinity of the nose of the leading edges due to changes in their shapes. Numerical solutions show that the shape of the leading edge disturbed the flowfield far upstream, where the domain of influence decreased as the leading edge became aerodynamically sharp.; A detailed procedure is presented to predict the pressure gradient along the body surface in a rarefied environment. Numerical solutions show that the pressure gradient behavior follows that predicted by Newtonian theory. It is found that the pressure gradient along the body surface goes to zero at the nose of the leading edge for power law exponents less than 2/3, a characteristic of a blunt body. It is finite for power law exponent of 2/3 and goes to minus infinite for power law exponents larger than 2/3, a characteristic of a sharp body.; Numerical solutions show that the stagnation point heating for power law leading edges with finite curvature radius follows that for classical blunt body, i.e., the stagnation point heating is inversely proportional to the square root of the nose radius of the leading edge. For those power law leading edges with zero radius of curvature, the stagnation point heating is not a function of the radius of curvature in the vicinity of the leading edges, but agrees with the continuum prediction far from the stagnation point.