Aeroelastic simulations of stores in weapon bays using Detached-Eddy Simulation

Detached-Eddy Simulations of flows in weapon bays with a generic store at different positions in the cavity and with flexible fins are presented in this paper. Simulations were carried out to better understand the fluid–structure interactions of the unsteady, turbulent flow and the store. Mach and Reynolds numbers (based on the missile diameter) were 0.85 and 326.000 respectively. Spectral analysis showed few differences in the frequency content in the cavity between the store with rigid and flexible fins. However, a large effect of the store position was seen. When the store was placed inside the cavity, the noise reduction reached 7 dB close to the cavity ceiling. The closer the store to the carriage position, the more coherent and quieter was the cavity. To perform a more realistic simulation, a gap of 0.3% of the store diameter was introduced between the fin root and the body of the store. Store loads showed little differences between the rigid and flexible fins when the store was inside and outside the cavity. With the store at the shear layer, the flexible fins were seen to have a reduction in loads with large fluctuations in position about a mean. Fin-tip displacements of the store inside the cavity were of the range of 0.2% of the store diameter, and in the range of 1–2% of store diameter when at the shear layer.