Analysis of thermal protection mechanism of leading structure embedded high directional thermal conductivity layer

Abstract

The structure of embedded high thermal conductivity layer leading thermal protection is considered as thermal protection system to prevent hypersonic vehicle from the serious aerodynamic heating. By numerical method, we analyze the cooling effect of the leading thermal protection system under given conditions. The maximum outer surface temperature and the inner surface temperature are reduced by 9.1% and by 31.5% respectively. Both high temperature region and low temperature region are blocked in the external layer and the inner temperature distributions are more uniform. The transfer of heat from high temperature region to low one is achieved, the thermal load of the high temperature area is weakened, and the ability of leading thermal protection system is strengthened. The research shows that the cooling effect of leading system increases with the increases of aerodynamic flux ratio and the area ratio of radiative surfaces. The influences of structure parameters and materials properties on thermal protection are discussed, which provides some references for the design of the structure and the selection of materials.