Dissociation–recombination models in hypersonic boundary layer O2/O flows

Graphical abstract: In hypersonic boundary layers, in which the temperature strongly decreases from the edge to the body surface, the coupling of transport phenomena and chemical kinetics causes a strong vibrational non-equilibrium, as demonstrated by the vibrational distributions and the pseudo-first-order dissociation constants. In this work a pure O2/O mixture has been investigated to evaluate the role of new multiquanta atom-molecule collision rate coefficients, calculated by means of a quasiclassical trajectory (QCT) method. Highlights: ► We evaluate the vibrational non-equilibrium in oxygen hypersonic boundary layer flows. ► We adopt a state-to-state vibrational kinetics model. ► We use updated quasicassical trajectory atom–molecule collision rate coefficients. ► Multiquanta transitions and direct dissociation–recombination are important. ► We calculate the heat flux through the boundary layer. - Abstract: A recent complete set of oxygen atom–molecule collision rate coefficients, calculated by means of a quasiclassical trajectory (QCT) method, has been used to evaluate the vibrational non-equilibrium in hypersonic boundary layer flows. The importance of multiquanta transitions has been demonstrated. Moreover a new 'direct dissociation–recombination' (DDR) model has been adopted and the corresponding results differ from the ones obtained with the ladder-climbing (LC) model, characterized by the extrapolation of bound-to-bound transitions to the continuum. The heat flux through the boundary layer and at the surface has been calculated too.