A theoretical study of non-equilibrium blunt-body flows

Abstract

Non-equilibrium inviscid flows behind a spherical-segment shock wave are investigated with the method of series truncation. This semi-analytical technique developed at Stanford is based on a systematic co-ordinate-perturbation scheme. The flow variables are expanded in series in powers of the longitudinal curvilinear co-ordinate leading away from the stagnation point. The problem is thus reduced to one of numerical integration of ordinary differential equations for functions of the normal co-ordinate. Unlike the similar situation of the Blasius series in boundary-layer theory, the present scheme–having to deal with elliptic equations–must resort to series truncation. As a consequence, a truncation error is introduced. The present paper shows a simple way of reducing this error.The simplified air chemistry adopted is based on non-equilibrium dissociation and recombination of oxygen diluted in inert nitrogen. A wide spectrum of non-equilibrium régimes is investigated for a fixed set of flight conditions. In particular, near-frozen flows are followed to the vicinity of the stagnation point through a region of large temperature and concentration gradients located near the body. This equilibrium-drive region, arising from the singular nature of the frozen limit, is studied in some detail.