Designing an Optimal Scoop for Holloman High-Speed Test Track Water Braking Mechanism using Computational Fluid Dynamics

TL;DR

This paper uses computational fluid dynamics to optimize the design of a water-based braking mechanism for high-speed vehicle testing, enabling better preparation and understanding of forces involved.

Contribution

It introduces a CFD-based simulation approach to analyze and optimize the water braking system for high-speed sled tests at Holloman High-Speed Test Track.

Findings

CFD simulations accurately model water and air interactions during braking.

Adjusting inlet velocities allows simulation of various operating speeds.

The study provides insights into force dynamics on tracked vehicles during water braking.

Abstract

Specializing in high-speed testing, Holloman High-Speed Test Track (HHSTT) uses water braking to stop vehicles on the test track. This method takes advantage of the higher density of water, compared to air, to increase braking capability through momentum exchange by increasing the water content in that section at the end of the track. By studying water braking using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), the forces acting on tracked vehicles can be approximated and prepared before actual testing through numerical simulations. In this study, emphasis will be placed on the brake component of the tracked sled, which is responsible for interacting with water to brake. By discretizing a volume space around our brake, we accelerate the water and air to simulate the brake coupling relatively. The multiphase flow model uses the governing equations of the gas and liquid phases with the finite volume method to perform 3D simulations. By adjusting the air and water inlet velocity, it is possible to simulate HHSTT sled tests at various operating speeds.