NUMERICAL-SIMULATION OF HYPERVELOCITY PROJECTILES IN DETONABLE GASES

A numerical scheme for calculating hypersonic flows involving shock-induced combustion is discussed. The analysis is limited to inviscid flow and includes chemical nonequilibrium and real-gas effects. Two types of flows are considered. First, the hypersonic, exothermic blunt-body flow problem is examined for mixtures of H-2/O2 and H-2/air, and the numerical results are compared with experimental results. Second, a hypervelocity mass launcher concept known as the "ram accelerator" is investigated in the velocity range of 5-7 km/s. Temperature contours and the distribution of various physical quantities along the ram accelerator projectile surface and tube wall are presented for a 14-deg nose projectile and for a gas mixture of 2H2+O2+5He.