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Open Access

ARTICLE

Control of Base Pressure in Supersonic Separated Flows over Axisymmetric Bodies Using Triangular Rib Actuators

Abdul Aabid1,*, Renita Sharon Monis2, Ambareen Khan3, Sher Afghan Khan4, Muneer Baig1
1 Department of Engineering Management, College of Engineering, Prince Sultan University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
2 Department of Mathematics, Shri Madhwa Vadiraja Institute of Technology and Management (affiliated to VTU Belgaum), Bantakal, Udupi, India
3 School of Aerospace Engineering, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Nibong Tebal, Penang, Malaysia
4 Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, IIUM, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
* Corresponding Author: Abdul Aabid. Email: email
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Analysis of High-Speed Flows using Advanced Computational Methods)

Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing https://doi.org/10.32604/fdmp.2026.076988

Received 30 November 2025; Accepted 13 April 2026; Published online 14 May 2026

Abstract

Separated flow at a blunt base remains a critical topic in both automotive and aerospace engineering, particularly in the context of high-speed and supersonic vehicles such as modern fighter aircraft. In the separated region, characterized by a recirculation zone, the local pressure is typically lower than the ambient back pressure. This reduced base pressure can account for up to 70 percent of the total drag acting on an axisymmetric body. The present study focuses on regulating the base pressure within the recirculation region to reduce base drag and thereby enhance the operational range of rockets, missiles, and related aerospace vehicles. The analysis considers key inertial and geometric parameters, including a Mach number of M = 1.8, different expansion levels, an area ratio of 6.25, and duct lengths ranging from L/D = 1 to 6. A triangular rib is introduced as a passive flow-control device to modulate the pressure within the duct. In the numerical simulations, the rib base is fixed at 3 mm, while its height varies from 1 mm to 5 mm. The results indicate that increasing the rib height enhances the base pressure, with the largest height producing the greatest pressure rise. A rib height of 3 mm is sufficient to raise the base pressure close to the back pressure. For applications requiring a more substantial increase in base pressure, ribs with heights of 4 or 5 mm are recommended, depending on mission constraints. Optimal performance is achieved when the rib is positioned at L/D = 3 or 4, where the maximum pressure gain is observed.

Keywords

Triangular rib; base drag; compressible flow; steady flow; effect of area ratio

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