Aerodynamics » Re-entry and Ablation
For high speed flight where the shock layer gas experiences appreciable thermal excitation and chemical activity FGE has developed a series of computational methods from engineering through to full Thermo-chemical, non-equilibrium Navier Stokes.
Applications include planetary entry/ascent vehicles where the hot shock layer gases thermally excite and dissociate and the aerodynamic characteristics of the vehicle (particularly control surfaces) can be different from the perfect gas case. Heat transfer at the vehicle surfaces depends on surface chemical behaviour such as catalycity and ablation, and these effects are catered for in the developed methods.
Radiation from the hot gases can provide a major heat flux to the surface where the assessment of the thermochemical states of the component gases is necessary. Radiation computational methods in the non-equilibrium regime have been developed for this purpose.
Such flows are also found in rocket engine combustion chambers, nozzles and plumes and in ground test facilities used to simulate these high enthalpy environments.
FGE have undertaken simulations of liquid and solid rocket motor combustion chamber, nozzle and plume flowfields for a variety of systems. Such systems often contain droplets and particulates and fully coupled methods have been developed to model these systems. These flowfields may then be used to initiate signature prediction calculations, which have also been performed.