Effectiveness of multiple jets for a finned large slenderness ratio missile in supersonic crossflows

Abstract

The reaction control system with multiple lateral jets shows great advantages in agility and maneuverability for supersonic air vehicles. Interactions among sonic jet plumes, X-shape fins, and supersonic crossflow at Mach 4.5 and Reynolds number 3.8 × 107 are numerically studied considering different number of jets for a large slenderness ratio missile with 7 jet exits. Three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations closed by Spalart–Allmaras turbulence model for the structured grid are validated and solved. The overall force and moment amplification factors of configurations with and without fins are analyzed and compared. Moreover, the force and moment amplification factors on fins and ratio of force and moment on fins are proposed and discussed to measure the jet effectiveness contributed from fins. The number of jet plumes is under consideration for all cases. Results show that the increment of effectiveness decreases as the number of jets increases for the finned configuration. Fins can significantly improve the jet effectiveness with more than 70% force and 50% moment increment, which shows great advantages to the jet effectiveness as well as the overall aerodynamic performance.