Supersonic Inviscid Corner Flows with Regular and Irregular Shock Interaction.

The results of a numerical and analytical investigation of steady-state supersonic inviscid flows in corners formed by intersecting compression wedges are presented. The flows considered are symmetric about the corner bisector. The distinctive features of flow pattern formation related with the reflection of wedge-generated shocks from the bisector plane are studied. The wedge angles at which transition from regular to irregular shock reflection occurs are determined both numerically and analytically using the criteria available for plane flows; the data thus obtained are found to be in agreement. Flow patterns with irregular shock reflection, namely, single, transitional, and double Mach, as well as von Neumann reflection, are identified; they are similar to the known types of reflection for plane quasi-steady-state flows. Varieties of these types not observed in the plane flows are found to exist. The effects of the angle of inclination of the plane surfaces of the corner to the freestream direction, the sweep angle of the leading edges, and the dihedral angle are investigated. Some previously unknown parameters of corner configurations for which transition may occur in accordance with the von Neumann criterion are determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]