Counterflow thrust vectoring of supersonic jets

Fluidic thrust vector control is examined in a supersonic rectangular jet having a 4:1 aspect ratio and for jet stagnation temperatures between 300 and 670 K. Experiments conducted in a Mach 2 jet reveal that the jet thrust can be continuously vectored up to at least 16 degrees by applying a counterflowing stream to one of the primary jet shear layers. Counterflow Thrust Vectoring, CFTV, is shown to be effective in both hot and cold supersonic jets, and to perform free of bistable or hysteretic effects over a significant portion of the operating domain. Measurements indicate that the thrust vector control can be achieved with relatively low thrust loss using counterflow, and that the resultant vector angle is nearly a linear function of the static pressure developed in the counterflowing stream. Fluidic thrust vector control has a distinct advantage over existing technologies in that the control surfaces are stationary, considerably reducing the complex actuation and control hardware required to vector thrust using conventional mechanical means.