The Effect of Increasing Rarefaction on the Edney Type IV Shock Interaction Problem

Two-dimensional direct simulation Monte Carlo simulations of the Edney Type IV shock interaction problem, where an oblique shock wave generated by a wedge encounters the bow shock from a cylinder, are carried out for three different Knudsen numbers using the dsmcFoam+ code. The numerical results for surface and flow properties are in good agreement with experiment for a Knudsen number of 0.0067. When the degree of rarefaction is increased, the oblique and normal shock waves become more diffuse and the bow shock standoff distance increases. The supersonic jet that forms in the interaction region becomes weaker as the Knudsen number increases and the point at where it impinges on the cylinder surface moves in a clockwise direction due to the jet being turned upward. The location of the peak heat transfer coefficient, peak pressure coefficient, and zero skin friction coefficient on the cylinder surface follow the supersonic jet impingement in a clockwise direction around the cylinder. The peak heat transfer and pressure coefficients decrease with increasing Knudsen number.