Busemann-sears-haack hybrid geometries applied toward supersonic commercial vehicles for improved wave drag performance

Abstract

In this thesis, I have presented a new configuration for supersonic aircraft fuselages. I first demonstrated that the commercial Fluent code provides mesh converged, valid results for supersonic flows around various configurations with respect to classical theoretical predictions. Then, by adapting the geometry of the Busemann biplane to the Sears-Haack body, I have presented a physically feasible configuration that reduces the wave drag per volume of given fuselage volume and length. The reduction is about 50% when compared to the Sears-Haack body that is the accepted, optimal shape for the minimum wave drag of a given volume and length. When applied to non-enclosed geometries, the Busemann biplane experiences none of the wave drag spikes that have been associated with the biplane in prior studies, while maintaining some of its efficacy. Preliminary studies into the effects of viscosity for supersonic flows at high Reynolds numbers show that the total drag is about 25% greater than inviscid flow results. This effect has also been extended to a triple body configuration, which further cuts the drag per volume to less than 40% of the equivalent S-H body.