Numerical analysis of hypersonic thermochemical non-equilibrium environment for an entry configuration in ionized flow

A theoretical methodology for thermochemical non-equilibrium flow combing with the HLLC (Harten-Lax-van Leer Contact) scheme was applied to study the hypersonic thermochemical non-equilibrium environment of an entry configuration in ionized flow. A two-temperature controlling model was utilized and the Gupta’s 11 species (N₂, O₂, NO, O, N, NO⁺, N₂⁺, O₂⁺, N⁺, O⁺, e^?) thermochemical non-equilibrium model was taken. Firstly, numerical calculations of hypersonic thermochemical non-equilibrium environments for different aerodynamic shapes were carried out to verify the reliability of the method above. Then, the method was used to research the effects of ionization and wall catalysis on the hypersonic thermochemical non-equilibrium environment of the entry configuration in ionized flow. The shock stand-off distance can be reduced by thermochemical reactions but doesn’t continue to decrease significantly when ionization occurs. The shock stand-off distance calculated by the 11 species model is 4.2% smaller than that calculated by the 5 species (N₂, O₂, NO, O, N) thermochemical non-equilibrium model without considering ionization. Ionization reduces wall heat flux but increases wall pressure a little. The effect of ionization on aerothermal loads is greater than that of aerodynamic loads. The thermochemical reactions of electrons and ions catalyzed at the wall increase wall heat flux significantly but make a small change in wall pressure. The maximum wall heat flux obtained by only considering the electrons and ions catalyzed at the partially catalytic wall condition is 11.8% less than that calculated at the super-catalytic wall condition.