Development of a reduced model of homogeneous

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Jan 14, 2013 - Development of a reduced model of homogeneous kinetic reactions for the decomposition of phenol. Ali Omidy and Alexandre Martin.
Development of a reduced model of homogeneous kinetic reactions for the decomposition of phenol Ali Omidy and Alexandre Martin Dpt. of Mech. Eng. & Ctr. for Comp. Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

January 14, 2013 Abstract Re-entry capsules use ablative materials in Thermal Protection System (TPS) to avoid the payload from overheating during the final and crucial part of its journey. The ablative material is composed of a carbon matrix that has been infused with a phenol resin. Because the carbon matrix can withstand much greater temperatures than the resin, the matrix stays relatively intact as the resin recedes. The pyrolysis gas, generated from the decomposition of the resin, exudes through the charred region and exits in the boundary layer at the surface of the spacecraft. The performed research examines two published chemical decomposition models by comparing the concentration of the final species present within the pyrolysis gas at equilibrium and non-equilibrium solutions. From this analysis, it is apparent that models with a dependency on only forward rate reactions are described more accurately by a non-equilibrium solution. These findings will lead to further research that aims to obtaining a more accurate finite-rate chemistry model for the pyrolysis gas, by validating and modifying a complex model published in the literature. The new and improved model will then be tested and validated in a material response code. It is expected that the new chemical non-equilibrium model will allow to gain more accurate thermal response calculations, which will enhance the design of a TPS for future re-entry vehicles.

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