Abstract
Multi plume effects on the base heating have been Investigated with a CFD program. As the flight altitude increases, the plume expansion angle increases regardless of the single or clustered engine. The plume interaction of the clustered engine makes a high temperature thermal shear in the center of four plumes. At low altitude, the high temperature shear flow stays in the center of plumes, but it increases up to engine base with the increasing altitude. At high altitude, the flow from plume to base and the flow from base into outer free stream are supersonic, which transfers the high heat in the center of plumes to the base region. The radiative heat of the clustered engine varies from 220 kW/m² to 469 kW/m² with increasing altitude while those of the single engine are 10 kW/m² and 43.7 kW/m². And the base temperature of the clustered engine varies from 985K to 1223K, and those of the single engine are 483K and 726K. This big radiative heat of clustered engine can be explained by the active high temperature base flow and strong plume interactions.
