TITLE : THE NUMERICAL TRACKING OF THE CANARD TIP VORTICES OF A MISSILE MODEL

BY : Bureau for Mechanical Engineering, CG du Toit Stellenbosch Dept of Mechanical Engineering, TW von Backstrom University of Stellenbosch CH Pool

DATE: 1991

PHOENICS was used to model the paths of vortices formed by the front wings (canards) of a missile in a wind tunnel
• Three-Dimensional steady flow
• Cartesian grid, with canards represented by porosity
• The k-e turbulence model was used

NOTES:

• Wingtip vortices can induce a rolling moment on the tail fins.
• This can counteract the rolling moment exerted by the canards, hampering the roll stabilisation of the missile.

The pictures are as follows:

Missile Model with Canards. In the simulation the tail fins were ignored.
Transverse positions of upper vortices. The simulated results are compared with some experimental data.
Transverse positions of lower vortices. The simulated results are compared with some experimental data.
Vertical positions of all vortices. The simulated results are compared with some experimental data.

DISCUSSION

• It has been demonstrated that the canard tip vortices of a missile model can be tracked numerically using PHOENICS.
• The numerical results compare favourably with the experimental data.

Further information on the PHOENICS simulation may be obtained in:

The Numerical Tracking of the Canard Tip Vortices of a Missile Model 3rd South African Aeronautical Engineering Conference Proceedings, August 1991

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