Scale Model Store Release from a Rectangular Cavity into Mach 1.5 Flow

TL;DR

This study uses high-speed schlieren imaging and acoustic measurements to analyze the release dynamics of a scaled model store from a rectangular cavity into a Mach 1.5 flow, highlighting flow oscillations and shear layer behavior.

Contribution

It provides detailed visualization and analysis of the unsteady flow phenomena during store release at supersonic speeds, linking flow oscillations with acoustic data.

Findings

Shear layer oscillates at approximately 810 Hz.

Flow dynamics are similar to the store's residence time in the shear layer.

Flow features correlate with acoustic oscillations.

Abstract

This fluid dynamics video shows the release of a 1/15th scale model store into a Mach 1.5 free-stream flow from a rectangular cavity. The images were acquired with a high-speed schlieren photography system using a Photron Ultima APX camera. Acoustic measurements showed that the unsteady shear layer over the cavity had a prominent oscillation at approximately 810 Hz which corresponds to fluctuations seen in the cavity's leading edge shock structure in the video. The video demonstrates the similarity in the time scales of the flow field dynamics and the residence time of the store in the shear layer.