Inviscid characteristics of a conical shock wave from a finite cone impinging on a flat plate in a Mach 2 flow

Comparison of the inviscid simulation and experiment data (Gai & Teh, 2000) showed the strong viscous effect of the boundary layer on the plate with separation of the boundary layer. There was a linear relationship between the inviscid and experimental data of wall pressures ( P 3 , m a x / P 1 ) measured on the symmetry plane. The effect of the interaction between the impinging shock and the trailing edge expansion fan originating from the base of the cone was to reduce the conical shock angle beginning at the expansion head. The expansion fan interaction showed strong dependency on the cone height from the plane. Separation length obtained from the experiment showed a power law dependency on P 3 , m a x / P 1 for all cone angles and cone heights from the surface when normalised by the boundary layer plate thickness at the impingement location. • Shock-expansion fan interaction reduces conical shock angle and peak pressure. • Separation length scales with the inviscid pressure ratio following power law. • Lower cone height shifts reflection from regular to Mach reflection.