Thermal Design and Testing of External Protuberance of Hypersonic Carrier Vehicle Airframe

Abstract

Hypersonic carrier vehicle airframe experiences high rate of heat transfer caused by aerodynamic heating due to very high-speed flow during flight. A wire tunnel over the carrier vehicle is used to accommodate the communication and electric cables routed along the external surface of rocket motor casing from electronics packages section to rear part of the carrier vehicle. The wire tunnel leading edge forms an external protuberance. The protuberances are subjected to severe heating during the flight, especially at hypersonic speed. Thermal design of the protuberance structure is imperative to ensure safe operation in the severe thermal environment experienced during flight. This paper describes the thermal design of wire tunnel protuberance. Further, the design of wire tunnel assembly is ascertained by thermal test conducted in the infrared heating facility for aerodynamic heating condition corresponding to the flight trajectory.