Design of F-16 Airfoil Mock-ups for Supersonic Wind Tunnel: Study, Production, Testing and Validation

TL;DR

This paper details the design, production, testing, and validation of a mock-up F-16 airfoil for supersonic wind tunnel experiments, combining experimental, numerical, and analytical methods to study complex flow phenomena relevant to aerospace engineering.

Contribution

It introduces a novel mock-up F-16 airfoil with pressure taps for supersonic testing, validated through experiments, simulations, and theoretical analysis, advancing understanding of SWBLI in high-speed flows.

Findings

Mock-up design accurately captures supersonic flow behavior.

Experimental and simulation data show strong agreement.

Insights into shock wave and boundary layer interactions.

Abstract

This research paper presents a comprehensive investigation into the behavior of viscous supersonic laminar flow and the Shock Wave- Laminar Boundary Layer Interaction (SWBLI) around the F-16 laminar NACA 6-series airfoil NACA 64A204. The study aims to establish and compare different methods for accurately describing these complex phenomena, which are of significant importance in the development of advanced aerospace technologies. To achieve this objective, a unique approach was adopted, involving the design and production of a mock-up F-16 airfoil equipped with pressure taps for use in the supersonic burst wind tunnel AF300. The mock-up was then experimentally tested, and the obtained data were analysed using numerical simulations with Ansys Fluent and a theoretical model based on a previously established analytical SWBLI model. The results obtained from the experimental, numerical, and analytical analyses validate the designed NACA 64A204 mock-up to a great extent. The study provides valuable insights into the physics of viscous supersonic laminar flow and SWBLI, contributing to a better understanding of these phenomena. The findings of this study will have important applications in the design of high-speed aircraft and other advanced aerospace technologies.