Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling for Electrically Conducting Flows

A unified comprehensive framework that incorporates Maxwell’s equations coupled with the 3D unsteady Navier-Stokes equations of fluid mechanics, is being developed utilizing an innovative Multi-Physics Simulation (MPS) Architecture, for conducting multi-disciplinary simulations. The MPS Architecture can be used for analysis of problems where the dominant physical mechanisms are strongly influenced by coupled electromagnetic-fluid dynamic interactions. Such problems range from Radar Cross Section (RCS) predictions of missile plume flow fields, energy addition in supersonic wind tunnels, magnetohydrodynamic control of scramjet engine inlets, heat transfer and drag reduction of hypersonic vehicles to electrohydrodynamic flow control of actuators. In the Phase I program, critical technical issues related to the formulation of numerical solution schemes for these coupled equation sets in terms of numerical algorithms, relative stiffness, disparate time scales and wave speeds, flux construction were resolved and applied to applications of control in conductors and Hartmann channels. In Phase II, the models will be extended to include more complex electromagnetic plasma interactions and verification and validation performed for a range of high speed missile/plume and flow control applications. Furthermore, the code enhancements can be used to investigate interactions between gas dynamics, chemical kinetics, turbulence and electromagnetics in complex three-dimensional multi-phase flowfields.