Numerical method of characteristics for three-dimensional supersonic flows

Abstract

The present paper gives a review of different schemes of the numerical method of characteristics for calculating three-dimensional steady supersonic gas flow about bodies moving at incidence. Some other methods for numerical solution of the supersonic flow problem are outlined. The schemes of method of characteristics proposed for calculation of unsteady two-dimensional flows are also presented as far as they can be extended to the case under consideration. Four schemes of the method of characteristics are presented in detail, as developed recently in works by Soviet authors for the calculation of three-dimensional flow about a body and checked in practical applications. Some results of numerical solutions are given for illustration. This paper considers mainly the flow of a perfect gas, and the two last sections deal with the generalization for the case of equilibrium and non-equilibrium flow of real gas. © 1968.