Behavior of two-temperature model in intermediate hypersonic regime

Shock stand-off distances for a sphere are calculated to examine behavior of Park’s two-temperature model in intermediate hypersonic flow. Calculations are csrried out for three distinct binary scaling parameter values, corresponding to nearly frozen, nonequilibrium, and nearly equilibrium flows, respectively. The obtained shock stand-off distances are compared quantitatively with the experimental data measured in ballistic range. It is shown that the two-temperature model generally well reproduces the shock stand-off distances in intermediate hypersonic flows, but tends to loose its accuracy where considerable vibrational excitation occurs but chemical reactions are nearly frozen.