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Effect of Protuberance Shape and Orientation on Space Shuttle Orbiter Boundary-Layer TransitionThis document describes an experimental study conducted to examine the effects of protuberances on hypersonic boundary-layer transition. The experiment was conducted in the Langley 20-Inch Mach 6 Tunnel on a series of 0.9%-scale Shuttle Orbiter models. The data were acquired to complement the existing ground-based boundary-layer transition database that was used to develop Version 1.0 of the boundary-layer transition RTF (return-to-flight) tool. The existing ground-based data were all acquired on 0.75%-scale Orbiter models using diamond-shaped ( pizza-box ) trips. The larger model scale facilitated in manufacturing higher fidelity protuberances. The end use of this experimental database will be to develop a technical basis (in the form of a boundary-layer transition correlation) to assess representative protrusion shapes, e.g., gap fillers and protrusions resulting from possible tile repair concepts. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the effects of protuberance-trip location and geometry on Shuttle Orbiter boundary-layer transition. Secondary goals are to assess the effects of gap-filler orientation and other protrusion shapes on boundary-layer transition. Global heat-transfer images using phosphor thermography of the Orbiter windward surface and the corresponding streamwise and spanwise heating distributions were used to infer the state of the boundary layer, i.e., laminar, transitional, or turbulent.
Document ID
20080012600
Acquisition Source
Langley Research Center
Document Type
Technical Memorandum (TM)
Authors
King, RUdolph A. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Berry, Scott A. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Kegerise, Michael A. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 24, 2013
Publication Date
February 1, 2008
Subject Category
Fluid Mechanics And Thermodynamics
Report/Patent Number
NASA/TM-2008-215103
L-19425
Funding Number(s)
WBS: WBS 377816.06.03.03.08
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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