The Supersonic Flow Control over Blunt and Sharp Cone Models Using a Laser Beam

Flow control and drag reduction, especially in supersonic flow, have always been a topic of interest in aerospace industry. The purpose of current study was to investigate the effect of laser on supersonic air flow. In this research, the impact of displacement values and shock wave angle alteration on the drag reduction were assessed in the desired models, with and without laser beam application. All experiments have been performed in supersonic wind tunnels using sharp and blunt cone models in Mach 1.7, 2, 2.5, 3 and 3.4. Also, two laser models MSL-FN-532-S and Q-SMART 850 have been used to investigate the effect of laser on shock wave. Experimental results show that in the blunt-cone model, continuous laser radiation increases the wave-object distance, thereby reducing the drag. In the sharp-cone model, laser radiation decreases the shock wave angle comparing the state without laser beam; therefore, by raising the laser pulses energy and applying more powerful lasers, we can promote the beam effect on displacement or shock wave angle.