Computational studies to determine the design of prototype heater for a hypersonic wind tunnel

During the modernization of the TsAGI hypersonic wind tunnel, which implies an increase in the limiting values of the flow stagnation parameters, and in the thermal load, consequently, computational studies were realized for the existing design of the electric arc heater and new geometry options for the central electrode and the cooling duct of the external electrode and nozzle. The distribution of the heat flux density to the surfaces of the main elements of the wind tunnel was obtained based on the calculations for the air duct of wind tunnel. The qualitative data of the flow formation both in the pre-heater and the pre-chamber served as the basis for changing the geometry of the central electrode. In this study, a numerical modelling approach was implemented for a through calculation of the flow and heat transfer in all areas of the wind tunnel circuit (heater, pre-chamber, nozzle, test section, diffuser). The ANSYS FLUENT software package was used to solve the axisymmetric Navier-Stokes equations for a five-component chemically reacting gas mixture: O2; N2; O; N; NO using the Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model. To study the hydrodynamics and thermal state of the structure of the external and central electrodes, the possibility of the ANSYS FLUENT complex for solving conjugate problems was used (the complete Navier-Stokes equations and the energy balance equation were solved in a fluid, and the heat conduction equation was solved in a solid). In this case, at the interface between the media, the conditions for the continuity of temperature and heat flux were satisfied.