Berlin 2001 – scientific programme

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P: Plasmaphysik

P 12: Plasma Wall Interaction, Diagnostic and Low Temperature Discharges (Poster Session)

P 12.13: Poster

Friday, April 6, 2001, 12:30–15:00, AT2

Development and Investigation of Erosion Protection Layers for Heat Shields of Re-Entry Space Vehicles — •K. Hirsch¹, I. Altmann¹, G. Bauer², T. Kollermann¹, B. Roth¹, D. Schinköth¹, J. Schneider¹, U. Schumacher¹, and A. Tawfik¹ — ¹Institut für Plasmaforschung — ²Institut für Thermodynamik der Luft und Raumfahrt, Pfaffenwaldring 31, D-70569 Stuttgart

Suitable reusable heat shields are essential for the re-entry of space vehicles. The re–entry conditions are simulated experimentally by plasma chemical interaction of heat protection materials with an air like plasma. The characteristics of the transitions from active to passive and passive to active oxidation, respectively, are diagnosed and visualized. The formation of a SiO₂ like layer in the temperature region 1700K < T < 2050K leads to a kind of self protection. Above this level a rapid temperature increase from 2050K to 2250K characterizes the behaviour of the C/C-SiC material. The deposition of the reaction energy is restricted, due to the limitation of the available oxygen content in the boundary layer as calculation of the reaction rate and variation of the oxygen content show.

Different oxidation protection layers for the C/C-SiC basis material reduce the erosion rate considerably and allow a higher heat load for protected samples without crossing the upper temperature limit of the passive to active transition.