Coupling of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Reentry Vehicle Surface Ablations, and In-Depth Conductions

The innovation for this Phase I program is the extension of the new Rocket Plume Flowfield Model (RPFM) to analyze Reentry Vehicle (RV) body flows. The Phase I effort provides the foundation for a highly optimized, fast-running Reentry Vehicle Flowfield Model (RVFM) for analysis of thermal protection systems (TPS). Many of the key features are already in place to expedite RV flow solutions (GUI, NS/PNS flow solvers, self-contained automated grid generation and mesh adaptation, generalized thermo-chemistry, Expert Interface, etc.). Key extensions for Phase I would be the inclusion of body ablative routines and ablative heatshield thermo-chemistry data banks, as well as modification of the GUI and the self-contained grid/adaptive methodology to RV shock layer flows. Ablative modules that the authors had developed for the Air Force sponsored REACH code will be implemented and upgraded using high-fidelity surface transpiration boundary conditions. Overlaid procedures for charged species and fluctuating electron solutions developed for RPFM will be implemented to achieve fast run times. Phase I accomplishments will be demonstrated by simulating the descent trajectory of a representative RV from an altitude of ~300 kft to ground impact.