Experimental investigation of ablation and pyrolysis processes of carbon-phenolic ablators in atmospheric entry plasmas

Helber, Bernd; Turchi, Alessandro; Scoggins, James B.; Hubin, Annick; Magin, Thierry

doi:10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2016.04.072

Cited by 90 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Measurements reported below were taken during this steady state period. This initial transient burst of signal could be due to pyrolysis of the ASTERM resin: see, for example, the work of Helber et al [22].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Infrared spectroscopic measurements of carbon monoxide within a high temperature ablative boundary layer

McGuire¹,

Tibère-Inglesse²,

Laux³

2016

J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys.

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Theoretical studies have indicated that the formation of carbon monoxide within a high temperature ablative boundary layer can significantly alter the afterbody radiative heat transfer to the surface of a reentry capsule. This paper represents a first attempt to experimentally measure the concentration of carbon monoxide within the high temperature boundary layer surrounding an ablative material exposed to an atmospheric pressure air plasma. A plasma torch facility was used to produce the high temperature flow and a sample of ASTERM ablative material was inserted into the flow. At the stagnation point, the heat flux to the surface was estimated at 8 MW/m 2 and the surface temperature at 2900 ± 100 K. Both emission and absorption spectroscopy techniques were used to measure the distribution of carbon monoxide within the flow. Emission spectroscopy yielded better signal-to-noise measurements, but the absorption spectroscopy measurements were used to validate emission measurements. In the cases examined, both emission and absorption measurements were consistent and in agreement with one another. Estimates of carbon monoxide temperature and mole fraction were deduced from the spectra taken within the boundary layer upstream of the stagnation point. No carbon monoxide was observed at the stagnation point. These measurements provide a test case for numerical simulations of plasma-ablator interactions.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Infrared spectroscopic measurements of carbon monoxide within a high temperature ablative boundary layer

McGuire¹,

Tibère-Inglesse²,

Laux³

2016

J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys.

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“…According to the kind of space mission, a lifting or a ballistic reentry can be selected as reentry strategy. This choice influences the reentry velocity and the heat flux generated by the friction with the atmosphere: for a lifting reentry the velocity and the heat flux are lower, thus a passive thermal protection system consisting of ceramic tiles can provide suitable performances; for a ballistic reentry, characterized by higher velocity and heat flux, ablative materials represent the best solution in order to guarantee an appropriate dissipation of heat [5][6][7][8].This peculiar thermal protection system is adequate for reentry in Earth or other planet atmospheres, but the different atmospheric composition can influence the performance of the material [9,10]. Ablative materials can be classified as semi-active protection systems because they are not simple insulating materials (passive protection systems) and, at the same time, they do not use a refrigerating fluid (active protection systems) [11,12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design of New Carbon-Phenolic Ablators: Manufacturing, Plasma Wind Tunnel Tests and Finite Element Model Rebuilding

et al. 2021

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Ablative materials represent a widespread solution for shielding space vehicles from overheating during a reentry phase in atmosphere where the high heating fluxes and the consequent high temperatures cannot be compatible with the vehicle structure and with the safety of the payload and/or the crew. In this work, two different kinds of carbon-phenolic ablators with a density of 0.3 g/cm3 were manufactured and their mechanical and thermal properties were experimentally evaluated. The thermal protection performances of the developed ablators were assessed in a hypersonic plasma wind tunnel facility, setting representative enthalpy and heat flux conditions (6 and 13 MW/m2), consistent with atmospheric reentry missions from high energy orbits. Data of the experimental tests were compared with the results obtained by a finite element model built up for these materials with the commercial software SAMCEF Amaryllis. All results enlighten the good performances of the ablators under severe heat flux conditions and outline their operating limits.

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“…operates at sub-atmospheric pressure. For details of this facility, see References [4,15,16,17]. For these experiments, the plasmatron was used with air injection and a ZURAM 5-cm diameter hemispherical test sample (PRESSURE AND HEAT FLUX???).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of a probe for in-situ radiative heat flux measurements at the surface of an ablator

McGuire

Bailet

Laux

2018

2018 AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting

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We present a radiative heat flux probe capable of directly accessing a radiative boundary layer around an ablative sample. Unlike previous approaches that have suffered from pollution of the optical system by ablative species, our probe utilizes a system for preventing contamination of the optical system. We are therefore able to make measurements over a long period of time during testing in a plasma torch facility. The probe operates on a battery-powered system and can therefore be installed in facilities without optical access. It is designed for use under a wide variety of conditions within ground test facilities. Prototype tests of the probe were performed in our 50 kW plasma torch facility to study an equilibrium air flow around an ablative CBCF turning wedge and flat surface samples. Further tests of the probe were performed in the much larger plasmatron facility at VKI to demonstrate probe functionality.

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Experimental investigation of ablation and pyrolysis processes of carbon-phenolic ablators in atmospheric entry plasmas

Cited by 90 publications

References 37 publications

Infrared spectroscopic measurements of carbon monoxide within a high temperature ablative boundary layer

Infrared spectroscopic measurements of carbon monoxide within a high temperature ablative boundary layer

Design of New Carbon-Phenolic Ablators: Manufacturing, Plasma Wind Tunnel Tests and Finite Element Model Rebuilding

Development of a probe for in-situ radiative heat flux measurements at the surface of an ablator

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