Keiji Manabe

Investigation of Flowfield Around Hypersonic Re-entry Capsule Utilizing the Electric Discharge Method

The flowfield around a re-entry capsule traveling at the speed of Mach 10 has been investigated utilizing the electric discharge method. First, the shock shape ahead of the capsule was visualized by using the technique for visualizing 3-D shock shapes. Second, the streamline after the shock wave was visualized by using the technique for visualizing streamlines away from the model surface. Third, the stream pattern behind the capsule was visualized by applying the technique for visualizing streamlines near model surface. From these experiments, the spatial flow patterns around the hypersonic re-entry capsule have been demonstrated. The above techniques used in these experiments are called the electric discharge method. Experimental investigations of the spatial stream pattern around hypersonic reentry capsule had been very difficult. However, the spatial flowfield phenomena have been made clear by utilizing the electric discharge method. These experimental results obtained in this study would be useful for comparing the results by numerical calculations.

Study on flowfield around hypersonic X-33 model utilizing electric discharge method

Study on flowfield around a model of X-33 test vehicle has been carried out visualizing three-dimensional shock waves, temperature fields, and stream patterns near the model surface by utilizing the electric discharge method. These visualizations have been performed using a hypersonic gun tunnel. The main characteristics of the tunnel used in these visualizations are Mach number is 10 and duration is 10 ms. Moreover, the self-radiation by the shock wave compression around the model using a high enthalpy hypersonic tunnel of Mach