Work

Radiation cooling effects on high-temperature nonequilibrium flow for reentry at hypervelocity

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Radiation from high-temperature (>10 4 K) air would greatly affect the aerodynamic thermal environment of hypervelocity (∼10 km/s) reentry vehicles. Although its cooling effects have long been a subject of interest, its quantitative mechanism is still unclear. Here, we report a thermochemical nonequilibrium flow-radiation coupling method that resolves this interaction with the S6 discrete ordinates method and Anderson's two-step model. Validated against FIRE-II flight data, the scheme captures the strong redistribution of energy in the shock layer and at the wall. A series of standard sphere cases are simulated with a wide reentry flight profile covering a 50–85 km altitude, Mach 20–45, and a nose radius of 0.03–5.0 m. The results show that radiation cooling intensifies with decreasing altitude, rising Mach number, and larger noses, lowering peak heat loads by up to 70%. The study quantifies how radiation suppresses heating and ionization along critical flight corridors, providing actionable guidance for next-generation thermal-protection design.

Source: Cell Reports Physical Science

DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrp.2025.102801

Authors: Xinglian Yang, Qingzong Liu, Jingying Wang, Tao Jiang, Mingsong Ding

Institutions: Shandong University, China Aerodynamics Research and Development Center

Language: English

Topic: Gas Dynamics and Kinetic Theory

Subfield: Applied Mathematics

Field: Mathematics

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $5,620

Funders: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province