An investigation of gap heating due to stepped tiles in zero pressure gradient regions of the Shuttle Orbiter Thermal Protection System

Smith, D. M.; Petley, D. H.; Edwards, C. L. W.; Patten, A. B.

doi:10.2514/6.1983-120

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…1 Moreover, the gap flow structure can become even more complex if the gap dimensions are deformed by thermal or mechanical loads. 3,4 A lot of experiments and numerical simulations 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11 have already been conducted to investigate the flowfield structure on gaps. The majority of these research studies on gaps has gone into considering laminar or turbulent flow over a wide range of Mach numbers in the continuum flow regime.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Length-to-Depth Ratio Effects on Aerodynamic Surface Quantities of a Rarefied Hypersonic Gap Flow

Paolicchi

Santos

2013

44th AIAA Thermophysics Conference

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Numerical simulations of two-dimensional steady-state hypersonic flow in a gap at different length-to-depth (L/H) ratio are performed by using a Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method. The work focuses on the effects in the aerodynamic surface quantities, such as heat transfer, pressure and skin friction coefficients due to variations in the gap L/H ratio. The analysis showed that aerodynamic surface quantities presented a large dependence on the L/H ratio for the range investigated. It was found that heat transfer, pressure, and skin friction coefficients presented the maximum values along the gap downstream face, more precisely, at the vicinity of the gap shoulder. Furthermore, simulations showed that pressure and heating loads are several times larger than those for a smooth surface.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Length-to-Depth Ratio Effects on Aerodynamic Surface Quantities of a Rarefied Hypersonic Gap Flow

Paolicchi

Santos

2013

44th AIAA Thermophysics Conference

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“…A nylon fiber filler bar, that has a silicone rubber membrane on its top surface, is directly beneath the tile-to-tile gaps. The filler bar is bonded to the aluminum skin but not to Presented as Paper 83-0120 at the AIAA 21st Aerospace Sciences Meeting, Reno, Nev., Jan. [10][11][12][13]1983; submitted April 19, 1983; revision received July 26, 1983. This paper is declared a work of the U. S. Government and therefore is in the public domain.…”

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confidence: 99%

Surface Step Induced Gap Heating in the Shuttle Thermal Protection System

Petley

Smith

Edwards

et al. 1984

Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets

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An analytical study has been performed to investigate the excessive heating in the tile-to-tile gaps of the Shuttle Orbiter Thermal Protection System due to stepped tiles. The excessive heating was evidenced by visible discoloration and charring of the filler bar and strain isolation pad that is used in the attachment of tiles to the aluminum substrate. Two tile locations on the Shuttle Orbiter were considered: one on the lower surface of the fuselage and one on the lower surface of the wing. The gap heating analysis involved the calculation of external and internal gas pressures and temperatures, internal mass flow rates, and the transient thermal response of the Thermal Protection System. The results of the analysis are presented for the fuselage and wing location for several step heights. Nomenclature A c = cross-sectional area for flow B = width of flow path h = tile step height k = thermal conductivity K p = permeability constant m = mass flow rate M = Mach number P = pressure q = conduction heat flux Re c = Reynolds number for base pressure correlation s = straight line length between points T = temperature w = tile-to-tile gap width X, Y = Shuttle Orbiter coordinates AJf = longitudinal coordinate measured in the downstream direction from the point of separation kXff = longitudinal coordinate measured in the upstream direction from a forward-facing step <5= velocity boundary-layer thickness 6* = boundary-layer displacement thickness 6 eff = d for laminar flow, 1.56* for turbulent flow A = sweep angle of a tile with respect to the local flow \L = viscosity coefficient p = density

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Drag increment induced by a small-scale forward-facing step in Mach number 5 turbulent boundary layer flows

Yang

Ren

Luo³

et al. 2020

Chinese Journal of Aeronautics

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An investigation of gap heating due to stepped tiles in zero pressure gradient regions of the Shuttle Orbiter Thermal Protection System

Cited by 6 publications

References 3 publications

Length-to-Depth Ratio Effects on Aerodynamic Surface Quantities of a Rarefied Hypersonic Gap Flow

Length-to-Depth Ratio Effects on Aerodynamic Surface Quantities of a Rarefied Hypersonic Gap Flow

Surface Step Induced Gap Heating in the Shuttle Thermal Protection System

Drag increment induced by a small-scale forward-facing step in Mach number 5 turbulent boundary layer flows

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