Numerical analysis of supersonic drag reduction with repetitive laser energy deposition

Numerical simulations have been conducted to study wave drag reduction over a cylindrical blunt body with repetitive laser energy deposition. The influences of laser repetition frequency, inflow Mach number and ignition location on drag reduction performances were investigated. Because of the interaction between low density zone caused by laser energy deposition and bow shock wave over the cylinder, a circulation zone similar to virtual tip is formed in front of the blunt body. And the energy deposition modifies the upstream shock wave into an oblique one and results in large wave drag reduction. With the laser repetition frequency increasing the drag reduces: At the frequency of 200 kHz, the drag is reduced to as low as 17% of that without energy deposition, and the maximum energy efficie