Experimental Investigation on the MHD Interaction in the Shock Layer on a Sharp Conical Body into a Hypersonic Flow

The MHD interaction around a conical test body in a hypersonic argon flow is experimentally and numerically investigated. The results are compared. The hypersonic flow is realized in the high-enthalpy arc-heated wind tunnel at Mach 6. The aim of experimental activity is to produce an experimental data base to be used for the validation of numerical codes for the analysis of the MHD interaction. The MHD interaction is obtained in the shock layer of the conical test body at the exit of the hypersonic nozzle. The electrical configuration realized allows to enhance the effect of the MHD interaction on the plasma parameters. This is done utilizing the Hall field to generate the MHD interaction and by short-circuiting the Faraday current inside the plasma of the shock layer. The magnetic flux density is produced by an array of three magnets located in the test body. Test are performed at three different stagnation pressures. Fluid-dynamic, electrical and optical observations have been done. The experiment showed a significative effect of the MHD interaction on the values of the quantities measured. An analysis of the results obtained through the previously mentioned experimental are analyzed utilizing a two dimensional, low magnetic Reynolds number model. At each time step the space discretization is performed. A cell-centered finite volume formulation, based on a Galerkin approach, has been adopted for the spatial discretization of the fluid dynamics. Fluxes are evaluated by means of a centered scheme, corrected by an Osher scheme. A second order accuracy is obtained, utilizing a MUSCL approach, by a combination of upwind and centered discretization of the gradient. The comparison between experimental data and numerical results showed a good agreement.