Fast Calculation Method for Predicting the Morphology of Steady-State Ablation

Abstract

Predicting the surface morphology of materials during steady-state ablation is important in rocket motor nozzles and the heat shields of vehicles performing atmospheric re-entry. When designing ablative materials, a high number of calculations is required for analyzing surface morphology. To effectively design these materials and reduce the number of experiments, a fast, effective, and simple calculation method is required. Although a fundamental theory for ablation has been established, quick and effective prediction of the morphology of the composites remains a challenge. In this study, we propose a fast, effective, and simple numerical calculation method to predict the surface morphology of steady-state ablation based on the geometric characteristics of the materials. The results obtained in this study were consistent with the experimental observations. The calculation time was significantly reduced. In addition, our method was found to be useful for analyzing the physical and chemical properties and surface roughness of ablative materials.