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Completed TRL 2 (started at 2, targeting 3)
During atmospheric entry, spacecrafts are protected from the extreme heat loads using a thermal protective heat shield made of ablative materials such as PICA. The main goal of this project is to build a computational model for the intumescence (or swelling due to heat exposure) of the RTV gap filler used to bond PICA tiles and install sensors plugs into a heat shield. As the intumescence of RTV during entry poses unique problems that lead to roughness induced boundary-layer transition, surface oxide formation and contamination of heat shield sensors, it is important to analyze this phenomenon in greater detail. Firstly, RTV pyrolysis will be modeled using competitive Arrhenius laws calibrated based on thermal decomposition experiments as function of heating rates. A model for RTV intumescence will be developed that captures swelling and micro-morphology evolution from monolithic materials to open pores foam. Finally, the gas-surface interactions will be modeled using a finite-rate chemistry model developed specifically for the reactions of RTV char and oxides. For calibrating all the essential components of the model, experimental data of RTV decomposition will be used in conjunction with a stochastic Bayesian calibration process. Experimental data for RTV will be obtained using a range of experiments, including ASTM intumescence measurements, micro-scale characterizations, and thermal decomposition experiments. Once the model is calibrated, it will be assessed and validated against heritage data and new experiments in plasmatron wind tunnel. Developing a physics-based RTV ablation model that accurately captures intumescence and morphology changes can help improving heat shield design and reliability predictions for future NASA missions.
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