In the present work, a high enthalpy hypersonic flow of Mach 17.1 and 14.9 MJ/kg of stagnation enthalpy, around a cylindrical blunt body is numerically studied using a density-based compressible algorithm in OpenFOAM. The flow field and surface properties for different magnetic field intensities and different electrical conductivity models were analysed, and it was possible to conclude that the choice of the correct electrical conductivity model is of extreme importance to have an accurate prediction of the MHD flow control mechanism. With the present conditions, it was observed no significant change in the flow field and surface properties using the Chapman Cowling electrical conductivity model, even for magnetic field intensities as great as 2 T. While for the Bush model the flow field and surface properties clearly changed with the magnetic fields, resulting in an increase of the shock standoff distance and a reduction on surface pressure. It was found that the Lorentz force for the Bush model is hundreds of times higher than the Lorentz force obtained with the Chapman Cowling model and that it would be required to apply a magnetic field in the flow field near the body surface of 3.8 T to get the same Lorentz force with both conductivity models.