Flow control of an oblique shock wave reflection with micro-ramp vortex generators: Effects of location and size

This study investigates the influences of micro-ramp size and location on its effectiveness as a flow control device for oblique shock wave reflections. The effectiveness is measured in terms of the size of the shock-induced separation bubble and the reflected shock unsteadiness. Particle image velocimetry measurements were carried out on the interaction region and the mixing region between micro-ramp and interaction. The separation bubble is shown to be most sensitive to the momentum flux contained in the lower 43% of the incoming boundary layer. The momentum flux added to this region scales linearly with micro-ramp height and larger micro-ramps are shown to be more effective in stabilizing the interaction. Full boundary layer mixing is attained 5.7δ downstream of the micro-ramp and this forms a lower limit on the required distance between micro-ramp and the start of the interaction region. Typical reductions in the average separated area and the shock unsteadiness of 87% and 51%, respectively, were recorded. Results, however, depend strongly upon the spanwise location, with the micro-ramp being most effective along its centerline.