Analysis of Surface Ablation of Noncharring Materials with Description of Associated Computing Program.

Abstract

A generalized method is presented for solving the problem of stagnation point heat transfer and material response for blunt bodies experiencing melting and vaporizing or subliming ablation. The analysis is applicable to wind-tunnel and flight conditions (with body forces taken into account); internal radiation can be considered or the material can be assumed opaque; the analysis can be used for different planets. During entry flights, a body will start in the free-molecule regime, pass through a transitional regime, and finish in the continuum regime of gas dynamics. Approximate equations, rationally obtained, are presented which provide bridges between the free- molecule and continuum regimes for such quantities as the convective heating rate, surface shear, heat blockage, and mass loss. Several illustrative examples (including surface chemical reaction cases) show the applications of the analysis. Comparisons with experiment are made where possible. The analysis has been machine programmed for numerical solutions using a finite difference scheme, and a running energy balance is kept as a check on accuracy. Instructions are provided for using the computing program.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1966
Accession Number
ADA307035

Entities

People

  • Dean R. Chapman
  • Fred W. Matting

Organizations

  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Ablation
  • Accuracy
  • Blunt Bodies
  • Bodies
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Dynamics
  • Energy
  • Equations
  • Gas Dynamics
  • Heat Transfer
  • Instructions
  • Materials
  • Molecules
  • Physics
  • Stagnation Point
  • Wind Tunnels

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Combustion science or combustion engineering.
  • Computer Science.
  • Fluid Dynamics.