Paul Russell LANCRY, Romain WUILBERCQ
DOI Number: N/A
Conference number: HiSST-2025-194
This article investigates the validity of different computational methodologies that lead to reliable estimates of skin friction coefficients. The approaches considered are readily applicable in the context of Multidisciplinary Design Analysis and Optimization (MDAO) during the conceptual design phases of hypersonic vehicles. Moreover, the computational expense associated with these methods remains minimal, thereby rendering them particularly suitable for iterative applications in preliminary design optimization frameworks. These computations were conducted utilizing the in-house tool SHAMAN, developed at ONERA, which will be briefly presented herein. In particular, reference temperature (or
more broadly enthalpy) models are evaluated alongside established methodologies such as the Van Driest II and Spalding & Chi methods. The present work sets up a series of benchmark test cases derived from data reported in the open scientific literature, and aims to propose a hierarchy of computational methods for the estimation of vehicle skin friction coefficient distributions in the context of conceptual design phases. The validity of each method is determined through comparison of its numerical predictions with corresponding experimental data. Based on these comparisons, a ranking of methods is established according to their accuracy and genericity in replicating empirical results. In
particular, three different sets of test cases are explored: flat plates at zero incidence without pressure gradients, flat plates at nonzero incidence values and plates with blunt leading edges, all immersed in hypersonic freestream conditions. Moreover, the paper presents a systematic procedure to establish a reference temperature formulation based on available data. Finally, the article illustrates how these methods can be used in an MDAO study on an ONERA hypersonic vehicle named ‘JAPHAR’. This article provides an initial ethodological framework for the calculation of skin friction coefficients, intended to support practitioners and researchers involved in hypersonic vehicle design, using MDAO or systems
engineering approaches.