High-enthalpy flow over re-entry capsules is important because of features such as shockturbulence interaction, boundary layer, expansion fans, re-compression shock waves, chemical reactions etc. The hypersonic CFD group has DES and RANS simulation capabilities for nonreacting and chemically reacting flows. We solve the conservation equations for mass, momentum and energy for non-reacting flows, and additional species conservation equations for reacting flow simulations. Finite rate chemistry is included via chemical source terms in the species conservation equations. The reaction rates are computed based on reaction rate constants and equilibrium constants, provided as a function of temperature. The code is flexible in terms of number of species and number of reactions, depending on the chemistry model to be used.

For turbulent flows with large scale separation, we use the in-house code in the Detached eddy simulation (DES) mode. The in-house code utilises a low dissipation numerical method for the convective flux evaluation, specifically designed for high-speed flows with strong shock waves and viscous-inviscid interactions with boundary layers. Implicit time integration capability allows us to take large steps to integrate in time. Structured multi-block grid with point-matching at block interfaces is employed to simulate three-dimensional configurations with multiple bounding surfaces and complex flow features.