ITEMS

modern scholarly publishers in the finest tradition

Journals

	Search

High Temperature Material Processes (An International Quarterly of High-Technology Plasma Processes)

An International Journal

ISSN for PRINT: 1093-3611

Institutional price:	$604.00
Issues per year:	4

Best Paper Award Selection - Editorial Board Site

2005, Volume9

156 pages

DOI: 10.1615/HighTempMatProc.v9.i3

Issue price - $144.00

EXPERIMENTAL SIMULATION OF THERMO-MECHANICAL ABLATION OF CARBON/PHENOLIC COMPOSITE UNDER THE IMPACT OF LIQUID ALUMINA PARTICLES

Sebastien Bansard
SPCTS, University of Limoges, 123, Av Albert Thomas, 87060 Limoges, France

S. Plouvier
Laboratoire Sciences des Procedes Ceramiques et de Traitements de Surface, University of Limoges, Limoges, France

Michel Vardelle
Laboratory Science of Ceramic and Surface Treatment Processes (SPCTS) XJMR-CNRS 6638 Faculty of Sciences - Univ. of Limoges 123 A. Albert Thomas 87060 Limoges Cedex, France

Pierre Fauchais
Laboratoire Sciences des Precedes Ceramiques et de Traitements de Surface, UMR 6638 CNRS-Universite de Limoges, faculte des Sciences et Technique, conventionne avec le CEA n° M08, France

J. M. Deoclezian
SNECMA Propulsion, Le Haillan, France

ABSTRACT

In the Ariane V rocket, the propulsion at take-off is provided by aluminum-enriched propergol. The combustion of the propergol results in the formation of alumina droplets that form a liquid film on the nozzle wall. The liquid material reacts with the substrate giving rise to a degradation of the nozzle.
The design of the proper geometry of the nozzle requires a good knowledge of the recession behavior of the base material and heat transfer process. To validate the aerothermochimical model developed by SNECMA, an experimental simulation of the harsh conditions undergone by the nozzle material has been developed.
This work deals with the characterization and the quantification of recession behavior of an ablative composite material under both alumina and plasma jets. This paper presents the experimental setup which combines two direct current plasma torches that are used both to fuse and accelerate alumina particles. The behavior of the droplets before impact (velocity and temperature) and the plasma fields close to the target are examined. A thermal characterization of the composite is made by means of pyrometers, thermocouples and calorimetric measurements.
The recession measurement is obtained through an imaging technique and a feedback control of the position of top of the sample tested.