Decomposition Formula for the Wall Heat Flux of a Compressible Boundary Layer

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new decomposition formula for wall heat flux in compressible boundary layers, aiding in understanding energy transport and improving thermal protection design for hypersonic vehicles.

Contribution

A novel formula based on the conservative energy equation that decomposes heat flux contributions, validated by direct numerical simulations.

Findings

The formula accurately predicts heat flux contributions in hypersonic boundary layers.

It clarifies the dominant energy transport mechanisms affecting heat flux.

The approach enhances the prediction and design of thermal protection systems.

Abstract

Understanding the generation mechanism of the heating flux is essential for the design of hypersonic vehicles. We proposed a novel formula to decompose the heat flux coefficient into the contributions of different terms by integrating the conservative equation of the total energy. The reliability of the formula is well demonstrated by the direct numerical simulation results of a hypersonic transitional boundary layer. Through this formula, the exact process of the energy transport in the boundary layer can be explained and the dominant contributors to the heat flux can be explored, which are beneficial for the prediction of the heat and design of the thermal protection devices