Numerical and Experimental Simulation of Magnetohydrodynamic Interaction in a Hypersonic Flow of a Blunt Body

This paper describes results of an experimental and numerical study of a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) method for controlling a hypersonic (M = 6) air flow in which a launched device of typical configuration is located. The experiments are carried out using an MHD rig based on a shock tube. The flow in front of the body is ionized using an electric discharge in an external magnetic field with an inductionB= 0.80-1.58 T. Conditions corresponding to the experimental conditions are numerically simulated using the Reynolds-average steady Navier-Stokes equations. The MHD interaction region is simulated by isolating a zone in front of the blunt part of the model with given force and heat sources. It is shown that, as a result of strong MHD interaction, the bow shock moves away from the model surface and the heat flux to the body decreases with a value of the Stuart number S = 0.1-0.3.