Nozzle Geometry-Induced Vortices in Supersonic Wind Tunnels

What is it about?

Sharp corners upstream of a supersonic wind tunnel nozzle are not uncommon, but can cause the incoming flow to separate. This flow separation has been shown to generate a streamwise vortex that can propagate along the sidewall into the working section and introduce measurable flow non-uniformity. Rounding off such sharp corners can prevent separation and remove the vortical structure.

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