Vibration-electronic and chemical kinetics of non-equilibrium radiative diatomic gas flows

The Letter presents a generalization of the kinetic model for radiative flo ws of reacting gas mixtures with strong vibrational and chemical non-equili brium. The new model takes into account the vibration-electronic (VE) trans itions and radiative transitions from the electronically excited states. A closed set of macroscopic equations taking into account the coupling of vib rational relaxation, chemical reactions and radiative transitions is derive d. The peculiarities of non-equilibrium kinetics of CO in different conditi ons are discussed. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.