Aerodynamic analysis of a high maneuverability airframe utilizing magnetic resonance velocimetry and reynolds-averaged navier-stokes simulations

Experiments in water-facilities were conducted on a geometrically scaled, 81-mm diameter, fin-stabilized projectile, to validate numerical simulations. Experiments in a water channel (Stanford) used magnetic resonance velocimetry (MRV) to obtain fully 3D velocity measurements to observe and measure canard tip vortices interacting with the projectile’s tail-fins. Canards were deflected to 2° in a roll configuration. Experiments in the water tunnel (AFRL) were conventional force/moment and flow visualization, using a larger facility with lower blockage. Canards were deflected to 2° in a roll and pitch configuration in addition to the non-deflected case. The force and moment data were collected over a large range of angles of attack, while the MRV model only considered angles of attack of 0 and 2 degrees due to geometric limitations. Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations produced similar results to those of the MRV. The MRV, flow visualization, and RANS results indicate that the HMA at 2° canard deflection and 2° projectile angle of attack causes significant tip vortex formation, which reaches the leading edge of the fins, which has previously been shown to cause degradation in projectile controllability.