LINEARIZED SUPERSONIC FLOW

Lecture Notes Presented

By
C.R. Prajapati
The linearized perturbation velocity potential equation
for subsonic and supersonic
When 1 – > 0 f or subsonic flow, Equation is
an elliptic partial differential equation, whereas
when for supersonic flow, Equation
becomes a hyperbolic differential equation.
DERIVATION OF THE LINEARIZED SUPERSONIC
PRESSURE COEFFICIENT FORMULA

For the case of supersonic flow, let us write

(1)

(2)
 We can demonstrate this by substituting Eq. (2) into Eq.(1) as
follows. The partial derivative of Eq. (2) with respect to x can be
written as

(3)

Differentiating Eq. (3) again with respect to x, we obtain

(4)

(5)
Differentiating Eq. (5) again with respect to y, we have

(6)

Substituting Eqs. (4) and (6) into (1), we obtain the identity

Hence, Eq. (2) is indeed a solution of Eq. (1).

Examine Eq. (2) closely. This solution is not very specific,
because f can be any function of x - λ y. However, Eq. (2) tells
us something specific about the flow, namely, that Ǿ is
constant along lines of x - λ y = constant. The slope of these
lines is obtained from

x- λ y = const

(7)

From Mach wave relation we know that

(8)
Arc sin(1/M)=μ
Therefore, comparing Eqs. (7) and (8), we see that a line along which Ǿ
constant is a Mach line. This result is sketched in Fig. which shows
supersonic flow over a surface with a small hump in the middle, where
θ is the angle of the surface relative to the horizontal.
According to Eqs. (1) to (8), all disturbances created at the wall
represented by the perturbation potential Ǿ
propagate unchanged away from the wall along Mach waves. All the
Mach waves have the same slope,
Mach waves slope downstream above the wall. Hence, any
disturbance at the wall cannot propagate upstream;

The above results allow us to obtain a simple expression for the

pressure coefficient in supersonic flow, as follows. From Eq. (3)

(9)

(10)

Eliminating f' from Eqs. (9) and (10), we obtain

 (11)

Recall the linearized boundary condition given by

(12)

We can further reduce Eq. (12) by noting that, for small

perturbations, tanθ = θ, and Eq. (12) becomes
Substituting Eq. (13) into (11), we obtain

(13)

Recall the linearized pressure coefficient given by Eq.

(14)

Substituting Eq. (13) into (14),

It is the linearized supersonic pressure coefficient, and it states
that Cp is directly proportional to the local surface inclination
with respect to the freestream. It holds for any slender two-
dimensional body where ( θ is small).
Thank You