Project Scope

The primary objective of this project was to provide a better understanding of the physics of hypersonic flows and how best to perform CFD simulations in the hypersonic regime. Hypersonic flows are characterized by large Mach numbers and high temperatures; in such extreme conditions, the physical assumptions made in typical CFD simulations no longer hold. The chemistry and thermodynamics of the gas become much more complicated, and capturing the appropriate effects in CFD analysis tools requires special treatment and care.

Over the course of the project, CFD developers and engineers learned techniques for modeling the physics of high-temperature gas, including gas composition, chemical reactions, and non-equilibrium thermodynamics. On the development side, special attention was focused on how best to implement the necessary algorithms and any potential pitfalls. There are a number of possible methods outlined in the literature, and selecting the best approach requires balancing accuracy, efficiency, and ease of use for the engineer. On the engineering side, analysts learned how to set up, perform, and analyze hypersonic simulations, including best practices for mesh generation, algorithm settings, and convergence criteria. Both developers and engineers are now able to assess the validity of the different approaches explored and understand what approximations are being made and why.