Modeling the Relationship Between Porosity and Permeability During Oxidation of Ablative MaterialsThe ablative materials used in thermal protection systems (TPS) undergo oxidation during atmospheric entry which leads to an in-depth change in both permeability and porosity. These properties have a significant affect on heat transfer in a TPS during entry. X-ray micro-tomography has provided 3D images capturing the micro-structure of TPS materials. In this study, we use micro-tomography based simulations to create high-fidelity models relating permeability to porosity during oxidation of FiberForm, the carbon fiber preform of the Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA) often used as a TPS material. The goal of this study is to inform full-scale models and reduce uncertainty in TPS modeling.
Document ID
20170011533
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Presentation
Authors
Thornton, John M. (Universities Space Research Association Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Panerai, Francesco (Analytical Mechanics Associates, Inc. Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Ferguson, Joseph C. (Science and Technology Corp. Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Borner, Arnaud (Science and Technology Corp. Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Mansour, Nagi N. (NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)