Different levels of modeling of a flat plate boundary-layer in partially ionized nitrogen

The modeling of a flat plate boundary layer in a non-equilibrium nitrogen plasma has been compared with experimental results. Strong influence of the vibrational mode on electron temperature profiles is observed and finally the vibrational temperature is assumed to be constant in the boundary layer. The classical wall condition on the electron temperature appears to misfit our test-case, since it predicts a too weak energy transfer between the wall and the electron translational energy. Using experimental values as boundary conditions allows an excellent agreement on electron temperature profiles at the two studied sections, whereas the electron number density profiles compare well with experiment a the first section but discrepancies are observed downstream in the second one where near the wall the computed electron number density is too high. Finally, the computed parietal net heat flux compares well with experiment.