Multi-field coupling numerical analysis of aerothermal environment and structural heat transfer of hypersonic vehicles

A coupling framework of hypersonic flow, heat transfer and structural response is presented in this paper in order to accurately predict aerodynamic environment, extreme aerothermal environment, as well as thermal and structural response for hypersonic flight. Multi-field coupling analysis is implemented in conjunction with the hypersonic chemical non-equilibrium computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solver and the fully coupled thermo-structural finite element method (FEM) solver by using partition algorithm, with a real time data exchange between non-matched meshes. This coupling method is validated by comparison with the experiment of a turbulent flow over a circular cylinder and good agreements with experiment are achieved. Coupling analysis of ultra high temperature ceramics (UHTC) is also conducted, and the effects of thermal conductivity on the prediction of aerothermal environment and structural thermal response have been considered. The results show that the effects of structural internal heat conduction on aerothermal environment and surface temperature distribution cannot be neglected for a structure with high thermal conductivity and complex geometry. At last, the effects of non-linear thermophysical properties (specific heat and thermal conductivity) of UHTC on hypersonic flow and heat transfer process have been studied. The results show that the surface temperature of structure is not sensitive to thermal conductivity and specific heat when thermal conductivity and specific heat are in a limit of allowable error.