Combinatorial approach to predict synergistic ablation behavior of carbon fiber phenolic composites under aerodynamic loading

Abstract

The study conducts a comprehensive analysis across 1-D, 2-D, and 2-D axisymmetric geometries, investigating temperature profiles, surface recession patterns, pyrolysis gas flow dynamics, and density fluctuations within the composite material. The findings highlight the effectiveness of the FEA technique in modeling complex multi-physical interactions associated with ablation phenomena. The carbon-phenolic composites, characterized by low thermal conductivity, high specific heat capacity, and substantial char yield, are shown to be particularly well-suited as ablative materials. The char layer formed during ablation acts as an additional insulating barrier, enhancing thermal protection. In a specific case study, a 2 cm thick composite laminate was subjected to an intense heat flux of 200 W/cm² for 180 s. The results demonstrate that the Thermal Protection System (TPS) effectively maintains the back face temperature below 350 K for the initial 60 s under uniform heat flux conditions. However, beyond this period, the back face temperature gradually increases, reaching 1698 K at the end of the 180-s simulation. These insights into the material’s thermal performance under severe heat exposure conditions provide valuable guidance for applications requiring effective heat management and thermal protection.