Exploring Shock Wave–Boundary Layer Interaction Using Rainbow Schlieren Deflectometry

The flow structure and unsteadiness of shock wave–boundary layer interaction (SWBLI) has been studied using rainbow schlieren deflectometry (RSD), ensemble averaging, fast Fourier transform (FFT), and snapshot proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) techniques. Shockwaves were generated in a test section by subjecting a Mach = 3.1 free-stream flow to a 12° isosceles triangular prism. The RSD pictures captured with a high-speed camera at 5000 frames/s rate were used to determine the transverse ray deflections at each pixel of the pictures. The interaction region structure is described statistically with the ensemble average and root mean square deflections. The FFT technique was used to determine the frequency content of the flow field. Results indicate that dominant frequencies were in the range of 400 Hz–900 Hz. The Strouhal numbers calculated using the RSD data were in the range of 0.025–0.07. The snapshot POD technique was employed to analyze flow structures and their associated energy content. The findings from POD analysis contribute to strengthening the conclusions derived from the ensemble averaging technique, allowing for the identification of specific regions that predominantly contain energy within the flow field.