A Decade of Aerothermal Plasma Research at the von Karman Institute

Abstract

The paper presents an overview of the aerothermal plasma simulation facilities in use at the von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics and the main research topics that have been followed during 10 years of work in the field. Both numerical simulation of plasma flows and experimental techniques are addressed, with an emphasis of the methodology which allows to relate measurements in the facilities to flight conditions of a space vehicle (re-)entering a planetary atmosphere.

Local analysis of absolute instability in plasma jets

“…For this purpose, TPS material properties and high enthalpy flow models are investigated in specific wind tunnel facilities able to generate and sustain plasma jets during long run times. Two main technologies can be distinguished: arc jets able to reach extreme heat fluxes on large samples such as the SCIRROCO facility (Marieua et al 2007), and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) facilities providing cleaner flows but limited to lower powers, such as the von Karman Institute (VKI) Plasmatron (Bottin et al 2004). However, both types of facility are subject to complex unsteady flow behaviours due to both hydrodynamic and magnetic phenomena, eventually degrading the reproduction of flight boundary layer conditions on material samples or probes.…”

“…2007), and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) facilities providing cleaner flows but limited to lower powers, such as the von Karman Institute (VKI) Plasmatron (Bottin et al. 2004). However, both types of facility are subject to complex unsteady flow behaviours due to both hydrodynamic and magnetic phenomena, eventually degrading the reproduction of flight boundary layer conditions on material samples or probes.…”

“…The present project aims at covering these gaps in hydrodynamic instabilities by studying a plasma jet stability by means of the local spatio-temporal LST. This work uses realistic flow profiles obtained from magneto-hydrodynamic simulations of the VKI Plasmatron facility, Bottin et al (2004). Special attention is given to the analysis of absolute regions.…”

Characterization of a 50kW Inductively Coupled Plasma Torch for Testing of Ablative Thermal Protection Materials

“…In recent years, several institutions have utilized ICP facilities to study how materials react to high temperature flows. The most powerful of these is the 1.2 MW plasmatron at the Von Kármán Institute [6], which has been in operation since the late 90s. Other inductive facilities exist in Germany [7], France [8], and Vermont in the US [9], and range in power from 30 kW to 180 kW.…”

Investigation of the antimicrobial activity at safe levels for eukaryotic cells of a low power atmospheric pressure inductively coupled plasma source

“…An effective patient treatment by means of antibiotics is not always achievable and this fact prompts to look for new treatment alternatives. [6][7][8] For what concerns its scalability, we can find industrial products and processes based on ICP technology spanning from a power of a few milliwatts in the field of surface modifications of materials for the electronic industry 9 to the MW range for aerospace research 10 and waste treatment, 11 passing through the well-established products for Inductively Coupled Plasma -Optical Emission Spctroscopy (ICP-OES) and (Inductively Coupled Plasma -Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection of trace elements, that have a low power ICP torch as the heart of the process. 2 In this frame, a low power inductively coupled thermal plasma source integrated with a quenching device for the efficient production at atmospheric pressure of UV radiation, oxygen, and nitrogen reactive species (RONS) and capable of producing biologically active agents in a liquid environment, has been recently developed and tested; 3 for this plasma source, a patent request for potential biomedical applications has been presented in 2013 and was recently published.…”