Supersonic Potential Flow

• For supersonic flow, we write the small perturbation

potential equation as:
2xx   yy  0   M 2  1
• Writing the equation in this form highlights the
difference from the subsonic equation.
• A PDE in this form is said to be hyperbolic - while the
subsonic equation is said to be elliptical.
• The names come from the form of the equations for
ellipses and hyperbolas:
ellipse : ax 2  by 2  0 hyperbola : ax 2  by 2  0
• However, the differences between the equations is more
fundamental then appearances.
AE 401 Advanced Aerodynamics 233 8/11/2019
Supersonic Potential Flow [2]
• Elliptical equations are characterized by the following:
– Smooth and continuous interior solutions; maximum and
minimum on boundaries.
– All points on the interior depend upon all points on the
boundary (if only very slightly!).
• In contrast, hyperbolic equations are characterized by:
– The possible existence of discontinuities in interior.
– Wavelike propagation of information from boundaries into
interior.
– Regions of influence and regions of “silence”.
• You might recognize some of these from the theories
for subsonic and supersonic flow you have learned.
• These characteristics dictate how to approach solutions!
AE 401 Advanced Aerodynamics 234 8/11/2019
Supersonic Wavy Wall
• Once again, consider the wavy wall problem:
y
yw  h cos2x / l 
x
h x
l

• The flow tangency boundary condition is the same as

before: dy w 2hV  2x 
 y ( x,0)  vw  V  sin  
dx l  l 
• However, this time we will be solving:
2xx   yy  0
• Since this equation is hyperbolic, we will not be using
separation of variable to solve this.
AE 401 Advanced Aerodynamics 235 8/11/2019
Supersonic Wavy Wall [2]
• Instead, assume a solution in the form of:
 x, y   f x  y   g x  y 
• Either of these two functions are solutions to the
governing equation as can be demonstrated by:
 
f x  y   f '  x  y  g x  y   g ' x  y 
x x
2 2
f x  y   f x  y  g x  y   g x  y 
x 2
x 2

 
f x  y   f ' x  y  g x  y   g ' x  y 
y y
2 2
f  x  y   2
f x  y  g  x  y   2
g x  y 
y 2
y 2

AE 401 Advanced Aerodynamics 236 8/11/2019

Supersonic Wavy Wall [3]
• Combining these yields:
2 f 2 f
 2
   2
f    2
f   0
x 2
y 2

2  g 2 g
2
   2
g    2
g   0
x 2
y 2

• However, these two functions represent two different

types of solutions.
• Since f is a function of x-y, then it will have constant
values along lines described by equation.
• Similarly, g is a function of x+y, then it will have
constant values along these lines.
• These lines thus form waves as seen below.

AE 401 Advanced Aerodynamics 237 8/11/2019

 Supersonic Wavy Wall [4]
Left running f = constant x  y  constant
waves  dy 1

M dx 

Right running
dy  1
waves g = constant x  y  constant 
dx 

• Note that the angle shown, , is given by:

 dy     1 
  atan    atan  1   asin  
 dx   M 2 1   M 
  
• Thus, these lines represent Mach waves.
AE 401 Advanced Aerodynamics 238 8/11/2019
Supersonic Wavy Wall [5]
• For our solution, we are obviously only interested in the
left running waves. Thus:
 x, y   f x  y 
• With the velocity components:
u   x  f  v   y  f 
• To satisfy our flow tangency boundary condition, lets
use surface slopes:
dy v  f 
 tan   
dx V V
• Thus, the u perturbation velocity, assuming small
angles, is: V tan  V
u   
 M 2  1
AE 401 Advanced Aerodynamics 239 8/11/2019
Supersonic Wavy Wall [6]
• So, finally, our pressure distribution along this wall is:
 2u  2
Cp  
V M 2  1
• You may recall deriving the same equation as the limit
for weak shocks on a thin airfoil.
• From this solution, we see that the supersonic pressure
coefficient varies directly with slope - rather than
curvature like the subsonic solution.
• Also, we never applied a far field boundary condition
since these waves, in 2-D, will propagate to infinity.
• Note that these waves don’t coalesce or fan-out like
shock or expansion waves - a result of our linearization.
AE 401 Advanced Aerodynamics 240 8/11/2019
Supersonic Wavy Wall [7]
• The pressures predicted by our new relation are 90o out
of phase with the wall oscillations:

x
x

• High pressures occur on the front face of each wave,

low pressures on the back face.
• As a result, an integration of pressures results in a drag
force in the x direction - wave drag.
• In application, there is also a slight drag due to the total
pressure loss in shock waves. But this is usually small
unless it is a normal shock - I.e. transonic flow!
AE 401 Advanced Aerodynamics 241 8/11/2019
Supersonic airfoils
• A nice thing about the supersonic solution is due to the
hyperbolic nature of the problem.
• Due to the limited regions of influence, the solution
applies equally to a isolated segment of the wall as to
the whole wall.
• Thus, for a parabolic arc airfoil (constant curvature, so
linear slope variation), the pressure distribution looks
like: Cp -

x/c

AE 401 Advanced Aerodynamics 242 8/11/2019

Supersonic Similarity
• Our solution for the supersonic pressure coefficient also
yields a supersonic similarity rule:

C p1 M 12  1 C p 2 M 22  1

1 2

• Note the close similarity to the subsonic Prandlt-Glauert

rule.
• Paradoxically, this rule states that, for the same
geometry, as the Mach number increases, the pressure
coefficient (and thus lift coefficient) decreases.
• However, since dynamic pressure also increases with
Mach number, the actual pressures and forces increase.
AE 401 Advanced Aerodynamics 243 8/11/2019