Three-dimensional DSMC simulation of hypersonic rarefied gas flow around a sharp flat plate

Abstract

The flow over a sharp flat plate with a finite leading edge angle located in a rarefied hypersonic flow was 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 did not agree with the experimental results 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 threedimensional numerical simulations were performed. At first, to compare with the two-dimensional simulation, the leading edge effects and the finite span effects were investigated. Prom these numerical simulations, the flow field around the plate was shown three-dimensionally, and the effects were evaluated to determine the three-dimensional flow structure over the plate. Finally, the nonequilibrium flow over the plate showed that non-Boltzmann distributions in the translational and rotational energy distributions appear clearly and transition between translational and rotational energy were also revealed.