arXiv subjects

Kento Inokuma

Publications and source records attributed to Kento Inokuma.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

DMR effect on drag reduction of a streamlined body measured by Magnetic Suspension and Balance System

This study experimentally investigates the aerodynamic drag reduction capabilities of distributed micro-roughness (DMR) coatings on a streamlined model, utilising the 1-m magnetic suspension and balance system (MSBS) at Tohoku University. Previous direct numerical simulations (DNS) indicated that DMR can mitigate turbulent-energy growth by suppressing Tollmien--Schlichting (TS) waves and influencing the breakdown of streamwise vortices. The present work provides the first experimental validation of these effects using an interference-free MSBS, which is essential for accurate measurement in the laminar and transitional regimes. A streamlined model was tested with two rows of artificial tripping tape to induce transition; the DMR height was approximately 1% of the local boundary layer thickness, significantly smaller than typical roughness elements. Direct aerodynamic drag measurements using the MSBS revealed a substantial reduction of up to 43.6% within the transitional flow regime. Crucially, integrated analysis using wall-resolved large-eddy simulations (LES) and dynamic oil-flow visualisation confirmed that this benefit does not mainly originate from the suppression of flow separation. The LES drag decomposition established that the total pressure-drag budget is subordinate to skin friction, a finding complemented by oil-flow observations, which revealed qualitatively similar flow patterns regardless of the surface condition. Consequently, the observed drag reduction is primarily ascribed to friction drag reduction achieved through the modification of the boundary layer state. These findings provide compelling experimental evidence for the efficacy of DMR and offer valuable insights for optimising surface designs for passive flow control.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2026

Combined thermographic measurement and heat-flux compensation methods for aerodynamic heating evaluation in hypersonic flight

Novel thermographic measurement and heat-flux compensation methods combined for evaluating aerodynamic heating in hypersonic flight were developed using high-speed thermography. A hypersonic spherical projectile with a diameter of 8 mm was launched at approximately Mach 5 in the test section of a ballistic range. Shadowgraph imaging was conducted to visualize the flight trajectory and the shock layer. Thermographic measurement was performed using a high-speed infrared (IR) camera to obtain the surface temperature distribution of the projectile. The temperature distribution on the spherical surface was reconstructed from the thermographic data, by considering the photoresponse time of the photodetector of the IR camera and the geometric characteristics of the projectile trajectory. Furthermore, to validate the shock-layer geometry and aerodynamic heating characteristics, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation was also performed. The shadowgraph results showed that a detached shock wave and a shock layer were formed in front of the projectile, consistent with the CFD result. From the thermographic result, it was found that the maximum surface temperature rise during the flight was 24.4 K above the ambient temperature and it decreased with increasing distance from the stagnation point. The Stanton number distribution was estimated from the reconstructed surface temperature by assuming a one-dimensional transient heat conduction caused during the flight. The stagnation Stanton number was calculated to be 0.00366, which was also consistent with both the CFD result and a previously reported empirical correlation.

physics.flu-dyn↗