Hypersonic blunt body wake computations using DSMC and Navier-Stokes solvers

Numerical results obtained with direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) and Navier-Stokes methods are presented for Mach 20 nitrogen flow about a 70-deg blunted cone. The flow conditions simulated are those that can be obtained in existing low-density hypersonic wind tunnels. Three sets of flow conditions are considered with freestream Knudsen numbers ranging from 0.03 to 0.001. The focus is on the wake structure: how does the wake structure change as a function of rarefaction, what are the afterbody levels of heating, and to what limits are continuum models realistic as rarefaction in the wake is progressively increased. Calculations are made with and without an afterbody sting. Results for the afterbody sting are emphasized in anticipation of an experimental study for the current flow conditions and model configuration. The Navier-Stokes calculations were made with and without slip boundary conditions. Comparisons of the results obtained with the two simulation methodologies are made for both flowfield structure and surface quantities.