Numerical study of turbulence models for Mach 3 shock-wave/corner boundary layer interaction

Abstract

The shock corner boundary layer interaction at a freestream Mach number of 3 and a ramp angle of 10° was simulated with four turbulence models: RSM, SA, k-ε, and k-ω SST. Their predictions were compared by examining the shock structure in the symmetry plane, the pressure distribution along the corner line, and the boundary layer thickness at a series of streamwise cross sections. A notable separation among the models appears in the location of the separation shock upstream of the λ shock point—the k-ω SST model places this shock farthest upstream, the RSM model places it farthest downstream, and this ordering follows the same trend as the pressure-rise onset location. Regarding boundary layer thickness, upstream of the shock, the k-ω SST model consistently predicts the thinnest boundary layer, whereas the RSM and k-ε results stay relatively close to each other. Downstream of the shock, the boundary layer profiles from the k-ε and SA models tend to converge to similar shapes. These observed differences provide practical guidance for selecting a turbulence model in numerical studies of supersonic shock/corner boundary layer interactions.