Energy relaxation method for chemical non-equilibrium flow computations

• Published in: International journal for numerical methods in fluids 2007-08, Vol.54 (12), p.1473-1494
• Main Authors: Patil, M. M., Mandal, J. C., Swaminathan, S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Computational methods in fluid dynamics; energy relaxation method; Exact sciences and technology; finite rate chemistry; Fluid dynamics; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); HLLC; non-equilibrium flow; Nonequilibrium gas dynamics; Physics; Reactive, radiative, or nonequilibrium flows; real gas effects; reentry aerothermo dynamics
• ISSN: 0271-2091; 1097-0363
• DOI: 10.1002/fld.1442

In this paper, an algorithm for chemical non‐equilibrium hypersonic flow is developed based on the concept of energy relaxation method (ERM). The new system of equations obtained are studied using finite volume method with Harten–Lax–van Leer scheme for contact (HLLC). The original HLLC method is modified here to account for additional species and split energy equations. Higher order spatial accuracy is achieved using MUSCL reconstruction of the flow variables with van Albada limiter. The thermal equilibrium is considered for the analysis and the species data are generated using polynomial correlations. The single temperature model of Dunn and Kang is used for chemical relaxation. The computed results for a flow field over a hemispherical cylinder at Mach number of 16.34 obtained using the present solver are found to be promising and computationally (25%) more efficient. The present solver captures physically correct solution as the entropy conditions are satisfied automatically during the computations. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.