3D DSMC Simulation of rarefied hypersonic flow over a sharp flat plate

Abstract

The flow over a sharp flat plate with a finite leading edge angle located in a rarefied hypersonic flow has been investigated numerically with the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method using the Dynamic Molecular Collision (DMC) Model based on Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation of nitrogen molecules. The results of the two-dimensional numerical simulations of the zero leading edge angle plate agree fairly well with the experimental results [Lengrand, J. C. et al. (1992)] in the middle cross section of the span direction. Thus to investigate much more precisely about the detailed physical phenomena in the rarefied hypersonic flow over the sharp flat plate, the three-dimensional numerical simulations have been made. At first, to compare with two-dimensional simulation, the effect of the existence of the finite leading edge angle—“the leading edge effect”, and the effect of the three-dimensional flow structure due to the side edge of the plate—“the finite span effect” are investigated. From these numerical simulations, the flow field around the plate is shown three-dimensionally, and the effects are evaluated to determine the three-dimensional flow structure over the plate.