Speaker
Description
What are the asymptotic limits of high-speed flows? Many years ago, it was postulated that post-shock temperatures would eventually reach a cap postulated to be around 20,000K, as increasing shock speeds would lead to endothermic processes offsetting the additional energy processed through the shock. These include, the excitation of a plethora of higher energy levels known to exist near dissociation and ionization thresholds for the flow species, dissociation and ionization reactions, and finally radiation which would lead to additional energy bleeding away from the shock layer.
The first part of this work discusses different updates to kinetic and thermodynamic models for air, capable of modeling the physical-chemical properties of plasmas at such high temperatures and ionization levels. We will point out additional theoretical hurdles in defining thermodynamic properties at extremely high temeratures, and the implications on the principle of detailed balance.
Radiative effects, modeled in a loose coupling, are discussed in a separate part II presentation.
Summary
First part of a work describing the development of a detailed aerothermal model valid at assymptotic velocities in excess of 20km/s.