Computational Aerodynamic Analysis of Static and Pitching Cone-Cylinders

Unsteady aerodynamics of slender cone-cylinder bodies are explored under incompressible, subsonic flow conditions to better understand flow behavior at high angles of attack and during dynamic motion. The work is motivated by the growing need for highly maneuverable missile systems capable of maintaining control across a wide flight envelope. Simulations are carried out using the flowPsi solver with a URANS framework and Spalart–Allmaras turbulence modeling, enabling extensive parametric sweeps while maintaining computational efficiency. The computational campaign includes steady-state solutions across a range of static angles, unsteady flows at fixed incidence, and time-varying pitch maneuvers at multiple reduced frequencies. A good agreement is observed between the numerical and experimental data at low angles of attack. However, discrepancies emerge at higher incidence where asymmetric vortex shedding is not captured, likely due to model limitations. Dynamic pitching simulations reveal aerodynamic hysteresis and stall-like behavior, offering insight into transient flow phenomena critical for predictive low-order modeling. The framework established in this work provides a path towards developing reduced-order models and supports ongoing efforts in agile missile design.