Comparative oxidation tests on reference material in two induction heated facilities

• Published in: Acta astronautica Vol. 38; no. 4; pp. 501 - 509
• Main Authors: Gülhan, A., Vennemann, D., Yakushin, M., Zhestkov, B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 1996
• Subjects: Erosion; Induction heating; Materials testing; Oxidation; Pressure effects; Silicon carbide; Spacecraft; Subsonic flow; Supersonic flow; Thermal effects
• ISSN: 0094-5765; 1879-2030
• DOI: 10.1016/0094-5765(96)00029-X

Comparative oxidation tests on SiC samples were performed in two different induction heated facilities in Russia. While the IPG-4 facility of IPM was operated in subsonic flow regime, supersonic flow was used for tests in the VAT-104 facility of TsAGI.
For the same surface temperature and pressure higher sample mass losses were measured in supersonic flow field compared to subsonic regime.
The active oxidation of the sample surface occurring beyond a certain temperature depending on the pressure level increases the erosion rate remarkably. The combination of high temperature and low pressure intensifies the active oxidation, i.e. the mass loss rate of the sample.