Simulation of supersonic gas–particle flows expanding from the nozzle into rarefied atmosphere

Abstract

The results of numerical simulation of the particle-laden supersonic flows expanding from converging–diverging nozzle into a rarefied atmosphere are presented. To calculate flow quantities in a wide range of nozzle pressure ratios and investigate a possibility of a strong turn of the flow at the nozzle outlet, a marching scheme and finite volume method are applied. The marching calculations of the supersonic jet starts from the nozzle section, in which supersonic flow velocities are realized. The trajectories of motion of solid particles during the flow expansion are provided. The influence of the particle size and coordinates of the particle injection point into the flow on their transport by a supersonic flow is discussed. The results of calculations obtained in the framework of the Stokes approximation for the drag coefficient of an individual particle and with corrections for the inertia of the particle and rarefaction of the gas flow are compared. Conclusions are drawn about the effect of the dispersed phase on the distribution of gas flow quantities. The calculation results are of interest for studying supersonic particle-laden flows around bodies and for calculating oblique shock waves.