Project Title:

Hypersonic Thermophysics Code

02.05-9030A
Hypersonic Thermophysics Code
Physical Sciences Inc.
20 New England Business Center
Andover
MA
01810
Hartmut H.
Legner
(508-457-9030)
LaRC

Abstract:

A hypersonic, aerothermodynamic flow-field computer program with emphasis on finite-rate
and real-gas effects will be developed. At planetary entry and earth return velocities,
dissociation and recombination of atmospheric molecules and radiative phenomena have
important effects on transport properties within the flow field, on heat transfer
to the vehicle, and on aerodynamic coefficients. The innovation is a fully implicit,
fully coupled, numerical integration method that provides reliable, stable, non-equilibrium
solutions over a wide range of conditions from very slow reactions to situations
arbitrarily close to equilibrium. A viscous shock layer formulation will be established
for shock structures in rarefied applications with radiation and ablation coupling
and surface chemistry effects. In Phase I, a non-equilibrium, boundary-layer code
with kinetics and transport properties appropriate to earth and Mars entry will be
developed. In Phase II, this will be extended to a viscous shock layer code with
the noted features.

Potential Commercial Application:

Potential Commercial Applications:  Possible applications include improved design
of space vehicles for planetary, planetary-return, and earth missions.