Analytical modeling of the steady state ablation of a 3D C/C composite

Jean Lachaud (1) , Yvan Aspa (1, 2) , Gerard L. Vignoles (1)

1 LCTS - Laboratoire des Composites Thermostructuraux
2 IMFT - Institut de mécanique des fluides de Toulouse

Following an analysis of surface roughness features that develop on a 3D C/C composite during ablation, i.e. wall recession by oxidation and/or sublimation, a modeling strategy is set up in order to predict the composite behavior from that of its components. It relies on two changes of scale: (i) microscopic scale (fiber, matrix) to mesoscopic scale (bundle) and (ii) mesoscopic scale (bundle, matrix) to macroscopic scale (composite). The physical basis is a general model for receding surfaces under a gasification process coupled to mass transfer. At each scale, the 3D surface equation is analytically solved in steady state considering a 1-D mass transfer perpendicular to the overall surface. The models are validated by comparison to experimental data.

Mots clés: Carbon–carbon composites; Ablation; Moving interface; Changes of scale; Phenomenological model

Domaines: Matériaux; Matériaux; Mécanique des matériaux [physics.class-ph]; Mécanique des matériaux [physics.class-ph]

Jean Lachaud, Yvan Aspa, Gerard L. Vignoles. Analytical modeling of the steady state ablation of a 3D C/C composite. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2008, 51, pp.2614-2627. ⟨10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2008.01.008⟩. ⟨hal-00407509⟩