Heat addition due to exothermic reactions of ablated chromium in hypersonic flow on coated blunt bodies is numerically investigated. The advection upstream splitting method is used as computational scheme. Conjugate heat transfer is considered by simultaneous solution of flow and solid phase governing equations to compute the surface regression rate. The results show that using such coatings on blunt noses in high speed flows will increase the shock standoff distance and decrease the aerodynamic drag but not so much that previously reported. Using these simulations, the chromium proper thickness will be estimated more precisely for specific flight mission. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.