Date of Award
12-1990
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Aeronautical Engineering
Department
Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics
First Advisor
Philip Beran, PhD
Abstract
The effects of thermal nonequilibrium on flows about blunt-bodies have not been studied numerically in isolation from chemical reactions. Typically, air is modeled as a perfect gas or as a chemically reacting mixture. In the former case, significant errors result at Mach numbers exceeding about 5. However, below Mach numbers around 8, the effects of chemical reactions are negligible. This study analyzes flow about a simple axisymmetric blunt-body at moderate hypersonic speeds (Mach numbers between 5-8). A first-order-accurate Roe scheme was used to compute solutions of the Euler equations assuming different gas models: perfect gas, thermal equilibrium, and thermal nonequilibrium. Equilibrium and nonequilibrium shock standoff distances deviated 10-15 percent from perfect gas calculations. Nonequilibrium solutions produced striking temperature and density gradients in the stagnation region with a unique hot spot near the shock.
AFIT Designator
AFIT-GAE-ENY-90D-17
DTIC Accession Number
ADA230356
Recommended Citation
Moran, Kenneth J., "A Comparison of Molecular Vibration Modeling for Thermal Nonequilibrium Airflow" (1990). Theses and Dissertations. 7853.
https://scholar.afit.edu/etd/7853