Shock Wave-Boundary Layer Interaction: Studying the Effects of Shock Waves on Boundary Layers at High Speeds

Shock Wave Boundary Layer Interaction (SWBLI), in High-Speed Flows, such as hypersonic flight and re-entry vehicles, is critical for design. The study focuses on the characteristics of high-speed shock-induced transition with a boundary layer, such as boundary layer separation, drag, and heat transfer increase. In this paper computations are carried out with the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) of the viscous SWBLI at various shock forces and Mach numbers. The results show that the stronger the shock waves, the greater they cause the flow separation and thermal load on the surface. The report also studies ways to mitigate such adverse effects, including the use of shock tips and active flow control. Such findings would be even more useful in designing high-velocity planes, bearing in mind that shock wave management would be of the essence in improving the aerodynamic and thermal efficiencies