Aeroheating wind tunnel test and thermal protection system design for hypersonic vehicle

Thermal protection system (TPS) design is a key technology for hypersonic vehicle development. From the design standpoint, understanding thermal environment of hypersonic vehicle in flight and developing a complete, high-fidelity aerothermodynamic design database are needed for the final TPS design. In order to investigate the thermal environment of hypersonic vehicle, preliminary aeroheating tests were undertaken in shock wind tunnel at China Aerodynamics Research and Development Center (CARDC). The conditions of the flow fields were, M∞=5.99, Re∞/L=2.68×107/m, and the angle-of-attack at 0, 2, 4 and 6 deg. Heat-flux distribution on representative locations and regions of hypersonic vehicle model were measured, including stagnation point/leading edge of vehicle nose, windward/leeward center line of vehicle body, lip of engine inlet, and leading edge of vehicle wings, total 166 platinum thin film resistance thermometers were arranged. Thermal environment of hypersonic vehicle in same flow field conditions also were investigated by CFD numerical simulation method. Aerohating data obtained from results of wind tunnel tests and numerical simulations constructed a preliminary hypersonic aerothermodynamic database for hypersonic vehicle. Based on this database, the thermal structure of leading edges and TPS of airframe were designed to endure serious aeroheating. Two innovative TPS design schemes, metal-grid structure and corrugated metal plate, were presented and sized to keep the peak back-face temperature match the limit temperature.