Passive Flow Control for Heat Flux Reduction on V-Shaped Blunt Leading Edges

Thermal protection has always been crucial for the design of hypersonic vehicles. With the development of three-dimensional inward-turning inlets, the model of the V-shaped blunt leading edge has attracted increasing attention. In the current study, the approach of passive flow control using different radii on the V-shaped blunt leading edge for heat flux reduction is further investigated. The numerical methodology used for the simulation performed in this paper has been validated. The flow structures of the baseline model and the model with flow control are then presented. The concept of effective bluntness is put forward and the mechanisms of aerodynamic heating generation and reduction are illustrated in a new way.