Development of a two-dimensional binning model for N₂-N relaxation in hypersonic shock conditions

A high fidelity internal energy relaxation model for N₂-N suitable for use in direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) modeling of chemically reacting flows is proposed. A novel two-dimensional binning approach with variable bin energy resolutions in the rotational and vibrational modes is developed for treating the internal mode of N₂. Both bin-to-bin and state-specific relaxation cross sections are obtained using the MD/QCT method with two potential energy surfaces as well as the state-specific database of Jaffe et al. The MD/QCT simulations of inelastic energy exchange between N₂ and N also show that the VSS model is much better in capturing the forward-preferential scattering behavior in collisions at hypersonic conditions. The 99 bin model is used in homogeneous DSMC relaxation simulations and is found to be able to recover the state-specific master equation results of Panesi et al. when the Jaffe state-specific cross sections are used. Rotational relaxation energy profiles and relaxation times obtained using the ReaxFF and Jaffe PESs are in general agreement but there are larger differences between the vibrational relaxation times. These differences become smaller as the translational temperature increases because the difference in the PES energy barrier becomes less important.