EFFECT OF A NONIDEAL STATE EQUATION ON THE STEADY-STATE CRITICAL FLOWCHARACTERISTICS IN ABLATIVE CAPILLARIES

The non-ideal continuity, momentum and energy equations describing pla sma characteristics in confined high-pressure discharges in cylindrica l ablative capillaries were solved numerically. The model equations us ed included (a) viscous and radiative and thermal conduction effects, (b) space dependent ionization and correction to Spitzer's electrical conductivity and (c) non-ideal equation of state, as provided by SESAM E library. For illustration, the case of polyethylene capillaries and discharge parameters appropriate for electrothermal launchers were con sidered. Analysis of the results indicated the consideration of the no n-ideal equation of state to have significant consequences on the plas ma characteristics. The sensitivity of these effects to variations in the discharge parameters was then studied and the results are also pre sented here. In the last part of the work we present the results of th e implementation of a method aimed to determine self-consistent bounda ry conditions at the ends of the capillary as well as of the investiga tion of their effect on the solutions obtained.