Numerical modelling of plasmas formed and magnetically controlled in hypersonic flows
type: CreativeWork
description: In high enthalpy hypersonic flows, the pressures and temperatures in the shock layer can become so extreme that dissociation and ionisation reactions produce a weakly ionised plasma. Owing to its elevated electrical conductivity, the plasma can be actively manipulated via magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) effect when a magnetic field is imposed upon the flow. The concept is of current research interest for its applications in spacecraft reentry, hypersonic flight control, and emerging aerospace plasma technologies. However, many challenges prevail in the numerical modelling of the complex and multiscale flow physics arising in a compressible, electrically conductive, magnetically influenced fluid. This work makes advances in numerical modelling methodologies, combined with an advanced air-plasma equation of state, to permit the realistic and efficient simulation of hypersonically formed plasmas with imposed MHD effects. The dissertation wholly encompasses: the regime-specific mathematical modelling, the direct implementation and development of numerical algorithms within a high performance computing framework, and application of the numerical model to study the physics of hypersonic flows with imposed MHD effects. A modularised approach is derived with problem-specific mathematical sub-models offering a high degree of generality (many types of fluid and plasma problems can be simulated) without compromising on efficiency. Key extensions are made to an advanced 19-species equilibrium air-plasma equation of state (EoS), meaning the EoS can be newly applied to the regime of hypersonically generated equilibrium air-plasmas, and makes improvements in the prediction of electric properties which underpin MHD forcing dynamics. A unique combination of numerical methods is employed. This includes: an original hypersonically stabilised numerical solver paired with a rigid body Ghost Fluid Method (GFM) for embedded geometries, with stable Lorentz forcing integration. The model is direc…
abstract: In high enthalpy hypersonic flows, the pressures and temperatures in the shock layer can become so extreme that dissociation and ionisation reactions produce a weakly ionised plasma. Owing to its elevated electrical conductivity, the plasma can be actively manipulated via magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) effect when a magnetic field is imposed upon the flow. The concept is of current research interest for its applications in spacecraft reentry, hypersonic flight control, and emerging aerospace plasma technologies. However, many challenges prevail in the numerical modelling of the complex and multiscale flow physics arising in a compressible, electrically conductive, magnetically influenced fluid. This work makes advances in numerical modelling methodologies, combined with an advanced air-plasma equation of state, to permit the realistic and efficient simulation of hypersonically formed plasmas with imposed MHD effects. The dissertation wholly encompasses: the regime-specific mathematical modelling, the direct implementation and development of numerical algorithms within a high performance computing framework, and application of the numerical model to study the physics of hypersonic flows with imposed MHD effects. A modularised approach is derived with problem-specific mathematical sub-models offering a high degree of generality (many types of fluid and plasma problems can be simulated) without compromising on efficiency. Key extensions are made to an advanced 19-species equilibrium air-plasma equation of state (EoS), meaning the EoS can be newly applied to the regime of hypersonically generated equilibrium air-plasmas, and makes improvements in the prediction of electric properties which underpin MHD forcing dynamics. A unique combination of numerical methods is employed. This includes: an original hypersonically stabilised numerical solver paired with a rigid body Ghost Fluid Method (GFM) for embedded geometries, with stable Lorentz forcing integration. The model is direc…
author: Muir, Heather
language: eng
keywords: plasmas, computational physics, hypersonics, high performance computing, computational fluid dynamics
license: https://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved/
date published: 2022-04-22
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:24:16Z
provider: Cambridge University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Cambridge

PropertyValue
property ID: DOI
value: 10.17863/CAM.88827