Simulation of Aerodynamic Properties of Rarefied Gas Flow on Satellite Panel by DSMC Method

In this research, the method of simulating the rarefied gas flow on a flat plate and calculating aerodynamic properties have been investigated using direct simulation Monte Carlo or DSMC-Open Foam Software. One of the most efficient methods for simulating rarefied gas flow in nonequilibrium conditions is the direct simulation Monte Carlo or DSMC simulation method, in which the gas is considered as a particle. In this study, using DSMC-OpenFoam software, the results obtained from a flat plate at zero angle of attack are validated with the available results, with the accuracy of less than 15% error.  In the following as an innovation, the flow on the vertical plane and the calculation of aerodynamic forces as well as the effect of different angles of the flat plane on the satellite panel are investigated. It has been shown that the drag coefficient in the vertical plane mode is 10 times that of the horizon flat plane. The method and software introduced in this research is a powerful method for various simulations of drag on satellites under rarefied gas condition. ‌‌