Characterization of High Enthalpy Flows and Ablation Products Surrounding Hypersonic Platforms
Abstract
Approved for Public ReleaseCharacterization of High Enthalpy Flows and Ablation Products Surrounding Hypersonic PlatformsThe objective of this proposed research is to provide new experimental methods and data to help guide and validate the required understanding and models for the fundamental processes driving the spatiotemporal evolution of weakly ionized hypersonic flows, including excited electronic/vibrational states, with and without gas-surface reactions and carbon ablation. The research seeks to achieve the following: 1) Development and deployment of diagnostics for high enthalpy ground test environments, particularly including the Texas A&M Hypervelocity Expansion Tunnel (HXT); 2) Development of capabilities to simulate ablation with laser and/or gas transpiration; 3) Acquisition of experimental data for validation of hypersonic plasma kinetics models under relevant conditions with and without ablation. In addition to schlieren and spectroscopy, new methods for localized and time accurate measurements will be researched and the most promising will be selected, developed, and applied. These methods include Forward Low Angle Thomson Scattering (FLATS), burst modeNO LIF, Microwave Interferometry by Radar REMPI on Surfaces (MIRROS), NO Two Photon Resonant burst mode flow tagging, broad band burst mode CARS, Atomic Mercury Prism Enabled Rotational Raman Spectroscopy, and burst mode Oxygen Schumann-Runge band LIF. An important aspect for development and uncertainty quantification is the availability of test facilities that can produce relevant environments and have appropriate optical access. For diagnostics development, we will utilize two bench top test facilities: a 5-kW Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) torch and a variable atmosphere plasma chamber. Once developed and characterized, the selected diagnostics will be implemented in the large-scale TAMU high enthalpy HXT. The ICP and the variable atmosphere plasma chamber are long duration quasi continuous, andHXT has a run time on the order of milliseconds. A 2 kW laser and two color optical pyrometer are available for heating and temperature monitoring of test samples to enable the study of carbon ablation and other gas surface interactions. Two general categories of experiments in HXT are planned (1) laser heated carbon ablation within the shock layer, with and without transpiration of CO or CO2 and (2) shock induced associative ionization of freestream gases, including air and trace amounts of NO and CO or CO2 seeded into a nitrogen freestream.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- May 15, 2023
- Source ID
- N000142312458
Entities
People
- Richard B. Miles
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- Texas Engineering Experiment Station
- United States Navy