Develoment of a Reduced Model of Homogeneous Kinetic Reactions for the Decomposition of Phenol

Grants and Contracts Details

Description

Re-entry capsules use ablative materials in Thermal Protection System (TPS) to avoid the payload from overheating during the final and crucial part of its journey. The ablative material is composed of a carbon matrix that has been infused with a phenol resin. Because the carbon matrix can withstand much greater temperatures than the resin, the matrix stays relatively intact as the resin recedes. The pyrolysis gas, generated from the decomposition of the resin, exudes through the charred region and exits in the boundary layer at the surface of the spacecraft. The proposed research aims at obtaining a more accurate finite-rate chemistry model for the pyrolysis gas, by validating and modifying a complex model published in the literature. The new and improved model will then be tested and validated in a material response code. It is expected that the new chemical non-equilibrium model will allow to gain more accurate thermal response calculations, which will enhance the design of a TPS for future re-entry vehicles.
StatusFinished
Effective start/end date1/1/1312/31/13

Funding

  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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