Flow past head of blunt body with allowance for nonequilibrium excitation of vibrational degrees of freedom

The effect of vibrational relaxation on supersonic flow past the front part of a blunt body is investigated. The problem is solved by using numerical method. In deriving the differential equations of vibrational energy, two mechanisms of vibrational excitation were considered- conversion of translational energy into vibrational energy, and vibrational quanta exchange among different molecules. Calculations were carried out for air flows past a sphere and past an ellipsoid of revolution; absence of chemical reactions was assumed.