Steady thermal performance of metallic honeycomb panels

Heat transfer combined with conduction and radiation in metallic honeycomb panels used in metallic thermal protection systems was investigated numerically by the methods of MCM and FVM. The thermal performance of a particular right hexagonal honeycomb under steady state was analyzed. The various factors influencing the equivalent thermal conductivity and the heat transfer mechanisms were quantitively analyzed. The results show that the heat conduction in honeycomb walls and the thermal radiation between inner surfaces are two main heat transfer mechanisms. For the honeycomb structure considered, the radiative heat transfer becomes dominant when the mean temperature is higher than 750 K.