Evaluation of the SU2 Open-Source Code for a Hypersonic Flow at Mach Number 5

Abstract

This paper presents the evaluation of the Stanford University Unstructured (SU2) open-source computational software package for a high Mach number 5 flow. The test case selected is an impinging shock wave turbulent boundary layer interaction (SWTBLI) on a flat plate where the experimental data of Sch¨ulein et al. [27] is used for validation purposes. Two turbulence models, the Spalart–Allmaras (SA) and the k-ω Shear Stress Transport (SST) within the SU2 code are evaluated in this study. Flow parameters, such as skin friction, wall pressure distribution and boundary layer profiles are compared with experimental values. The results demonstrate the performance of the SU2 code at a high Mach number flow and highlight its limitations in predicting fluid flow physics. At higher shock generator angles, the discrepancy between experimental and CFD data is more significant. Within the interaction and flow separation zones, a smaller separation bubble and delayed separation are predicted by the SA model while the k-ω SST model predicts early separation. Both models are able to predict wall pressure distribution correctly within the experimental values. However, discrepancies were observed in the prediction of skin friction due to the inability of the models to capture the boundary layer recovery after shock impingement.