CBL - Campus del Baix Llobregat

Projecte matriculat

Títol: DSMC Analysis of Rarefied Aerothermodynamics for VLEO-Relevant Flat-Plate Geometries

Director/a: ALTMEYER, SEBASTIÁN ANDREAS

Departament: FIS

Títol: DSMC Analysis of Rarefied Aerothermodynamics for VLEO-Relevant Flat-Plate Geometries

Data inici oferta: 20-12-2025     Data finalització oferta: 20-07-2026


Estudis d'assignació del projecte:
    MU AEROSPACE S&T 21
    MU AI4CI
    MU DRONS
    MU EM CODAS 1
    MU EM CODAS 2
    MU MASTEAM 2015
Tipus: Individual
 
Lloc de realització: EETAC
 
Paraules clau:
Plasma actuation, Wind-turbine, Aerodynamic efficiency and optimization, Flow separation control
 
Descripció del contingut i pla d'activitats:
This thesis will investigate the aero-thermodynamics of a flat plate (representing solar panels, drag sails, or aircraft surfaces) in rarefied and transitional flow regimes using the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method. As satellites operate in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO), traditional
continuum assumptions break down, and aerodynamic forces and surface heat fluxes start to depend a lot on molecular gas-surface interactions. The study will take a canonical inclined
flat plate geometry, making it directly relevant to VLEO drag and thermal-load prediction. Simulations will be performed using the open-source DSMC solver called SPARTA or similar. Critical parameters will be studied, in pariticula applied force, momentum-flux, and heat-flux and their outputs across increasing Knudsen number will be analyzed. A key goal will be the investigation how the results vary between modelling methods
when predicting aerodynamic loads for gas-surface interaction (GSI). Main focus will lie on Maxwell and Cercignani-Lampis-Lord (CLL) scattering laws and accommodation coefficients. The work
will include systematic verification through particle-number and sampling-time convergence and cross-validation against published DSMC benchmark results, which will copy the conditions of
beforehand.
The required software tools for the project are Matlab, Python, and SPARTA carry out the implementation and simulations.
 
Orientació a l'estudiant:
The student will learn the main features regarding gas-surface interaction (GSI) and Maxwell and Cercignani-Lampis-Lord (CLL) and satellites operating in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO).
She/He has to become familiarize with the main characteristic parameters, e.g. force, momentum-flux, and heat-flux, Knudsen number, drag coefficient, etc. Programming languages as Matlab, and Python will be learned and/or deepen. Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method will be performed via SPARTA or similar Open Source software in order to calculate critical sources.
Supervisor and student will meet regular basis about once a week to evaluate the progress and discuss the following steps. In case of bigger problems the student can approach the supervisor
any time in order to solve the problems as soon as possible in order to avoid any hold backs.
 
 
 
Horari d'atenció a estudiants per a l'assignació de projecte:
Regular meetings of about 1-2h will be setup weekly in order to check, discuss and evaluate the progress as well to plan the following steps. In case of bigger problems extraordinary meetings will be done as soon as possible.

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