Two-Phase Flow Solver for Hypersonic Entry Flows in a Dusty Martian Atmosphere

Abstract

The occurrence of global dust storms on Mars is one of the most spectacular meteorological events in the solar system. The following question arises: What influence might dust particles have on the heat flux onto a heat shield of a planetary probe entering the Martian atmosphere? For the numerical simulation of such an entry, the sequential iterative nonequilibrium algorithm program previously developed at the Institut für Raumfahrtsysteme is used. A five-species model (, , CO, O, and C) is implemented in the code. The Euler–Lagrangian approach is used for the modeling and simulation of the solid dust particles in the hypersonic entry flow. An adequate model for the drag force computation is implemented. The heat transfer model of the particles consists of convective heating and radiation cooling. With these models, heat fluxes onto the heat shield of the Mars sample return orbiter spacecraft due to impingement of particles are computed and compared with the convective heat fluxes from the continuum flowfield for the exemplary conditions of test case 3. From these simulations, it is found that the ratio of heat flux due to impingement of the particles compared to convective heat flux of the flowfield gas is very low. However, particles with larger radii may generate significant heat fluxes and erosion on the wall of the particle.