Development of a Test to Evaluate Aerothermal Response of Materials to Hypersonic Flow Using a Scramjet Wind Tunnel

A methodology to evaluate the aerothermal response of sharp leading edge materials by exposing them directly to hypersonic flow up to Mach 7 was developed and evaluated. The exposure was conducted using a prototype scramjet engine as a wind tunnel. A sample holder was designed using combustion fluid dynamics results as inputs into structural models. The rig conditions were evaluated and found to be close to those during free flight, with respect to aerothermal parameters of importance for material survivability. Samples of ultra high-temperature ceramics and SiC were found to withstand the short-term exposure that simulated Mach 6.5 at 25 km altitude.