Numerical and experimental investigation of aerodynamic heat control of leading edge of hypersonic vehicle’s flexible skin

• Published in: Science China. Information sciences Vol. 65; no. 10; p. 202203
• Main Authors: Lü, Xiaozhou, Yuan, Chao, Bao, Weimin, Bai, Guanghui, Meng, Fancheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Beijing Science China Press 01.10.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Argon; Computer Science; Cooling; Cooling effects; Cooling flows (astrophysics); Cooling rate; Finite element method; Flow velocity; Heat flux; High temperature; Hypersonic vehicles; Information Systems and Communication Service; Leading edges; Morphing; Research Paper; Thermal environments; Thermal protection; Water; Wind tunnel testing; Wind tunnels; micro-channel; transpiration cooling; hypersonic vehicle; flexible skin; ultra-thermal protection
• ISSN: 1674-733X; 1869-1919
• DOI: 10.1007/s11432-021-3312-4

In this paper, a flexible skin inspired by the sudoriferous gland structure of human skin is developed for ultra-thermal protection of hypersonic morphing vehicles. The effect of different coolants and cooling flow rates on the cooling performance of the leading edge is studied using finite element analysis. A wind tunnel experiment is conducted at high temperatures with the heat flux Q = 700 kW/m 2 , and the results indicate the following: (1) the flexible skin can effectively reduce the surface temperature of hypersonic vehicles; (2) when using liquid water instead of argon as the cooling medium, the cooling efficiency of flexible skin performs better; (3) when liquid water is used as the cooling medium, the cooling effect peaks at a flow rate of 0.01 m/s, and further increasing the flow rate will not benefit cooling efficiency significantly; (4) the flexible skin can withstand extreme thermal environments, demonstrating its feasibility in applications of over-limit thermal protection for hypersonic morphing vehicles. This study aims at optimizing the cooling performance of the flexible skin for ultra-thermal protection. The proposed skin can overcome the heat-resistance limit of flexible materials with morphing properties, laying a theoretical and experimental foundation for its future applications in hypersonic morphing vehicles.