Flow around a cone at supersonic speed

Abstract

In memory of the educational efforts of Prof. Chien Wei-zang, the author presents this thesis in its original form, written when he was a senior student of Tsinghua University under the guidance of Prof. Chien in the period 1947–1948. The inviscid supersonic conical flow around a cone at zero angle of attack was analysed by the method of asymptotic expansion. The two kinds of parameter used are both small difference of angles. Asymptotic expansions up to the fourth order were obtained.

To make the paper more complete, some formulas were added recently, and a comparison with the Table of Conical Flow edited by Kopal [5] is added. The table was not available when the thesis was being written. Comparison shows that for adequately high Mach number of incoming flow, the accuracy of the result of this paper is satisfactory, since it is correct to four significant figures. Some possible applications for the results of this paper are indicated.