• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.115-124
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• 2018

Thermal protection materials (TPMs) are very crucial for the survival of any re-entry space vehicles. One of the systems used for rigorous validation of TPMs is an enhanced Huel type segmented arc-heated plasma wind tunnel. A 0.4 MW class arc-heated plasma wind tunnel has been constructed at Chonbuk National University which is capable of producing high enthalpy supersonic flow. In this paper we have studied the characteristics of plasma flow according to power and mass flow parameters.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.61-70
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• 2019

A primary investigation on the underexpanded flow generated in a 0.4 MW class high enthalpy supersonic arc-heated plasma wind tunnel is conducted experimentally. The diameter and the position of the Mach disk from the nozzle exit is measured for overall pressure ratios ranging from 200 to 30. The empirical correlations for Mach disk diameter and position are determined which show very good agreement with experimental results.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.41 no.9
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• pp.700-707
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• 2013

Experimental analyses on a supersonic plasma wind tunnel of CBNU (Chonbuk National University) were carried out. In these experiments, a segmented arc heater was employed as a plasma source and operated at the gas flow rates of 16.3 g/s and the total currents of 300 A. The input power reached ~350 kW with the torch efficiency of 51.4 %, which is defined as the ratio of total exit enthalpy to the input power. The pressure of plasma gas in the arc heater was measured up to 4 bar while it was down to ~45 mbar in a vacuum chamber through a Laval nozzle. During this conversion process, the generated supersonic plasma was expected to have a total enthalpy of ~11 MJ/kg from the measured input power and torch efficiency. In addition to the measurement of total enthalpy, a cone type probe was inserted into the supersonic plasma flow in order to estimate the angle between shock layer and surface of the probe. From these measurements, the temperature and the Mach number of the supersonic plasma were predicted as ~2,950 K and ~3.7, respectively.

• Composites Research
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.205-212
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• 2020

In this study, HfC was coated on two types of carbon/carbon composites coated with SiC by vacuum plasma spraying(VPS). The experiment was performed using a plasma wind tunnel with heat flux of 5.06 MW/㎡ for 120 s heat flux before and after the coating. The mass ablation rate was calculated through the mass change before and after the test, and the length change was measured by using calipers and high speed camera. The oxidation/ablation behavior were observed by FE-SEM with EDS analysis of the specimens cross section. The plasma wind tunnel test results showed that the coated specimens had low weight loss and length change, and high oxidation/ablation resistance. However, two types of the specimens tested under the same conditions were different in the ablation behavior and ablation rate, and it was evaluated that the cylindrical type had higher oxidation/ablation resistance.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.69-78
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• 2010

Korea Aerospace Research Institute started on design and development of a hypersonic air-breathing engine test facility from 2000 and completed the test facility installation in July 2009. This facility, designated as Scramjet engine test facility(SeTF), is a blow-down type high enthalpy wind tunnel which has a pressurized air supply system, air heater system, free-jet test chamber, fuel supply system, facility control/measurement system and exhaust system. In this paper, details of the specifications, and configuration of the SeTF are described. For verifying characteristics of the SeTF, wind tunnel tests are now on progress and some of the data are also described.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.43 no.12
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• pp.1048-1053
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• 2015

Ablative materials in a thermal protection system for atmospheric re-entry suffers from the most severe heat fluxes and temperatures, which induces surface recession in the thickness direction. In this paper, a 0.4MW arc-heated wind tunnel is operated to test for ablative materials, and a non-contact three-dimensional surface measuring system is used to evaluate the different surface characteristics of them. In particular, by postprocessing the three-dimensional image data, the surface roughness and recession of ablative materials can be calculated before and after the wind tunnel test. Moreover, the surface properties are analyzed quantitatively by comparing volume and mass losses of the test specimens.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.15-22
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• 2011

Unlike most aerodynamic wind-tunnel, Scramjet Engine Test Facility(SETF) of Korea Aerospace Research Institute should simulate enthalpy condition at a flight condition. SETF is a blow-down type, high-enthalpy wind tunnel. To attain a flight condition, a highly stagnated air comes into the test cell through a supersonic nozzle. Also, an air ejector of the SETF is used for simulating altitude conditions of the engine, and facility starting. SETF has a free-jet type test cell and this free-jet type test cell can simulate a boundary layer effect between an airplane and engine using facility nozzle, but it is too difficult to predict the nature of the facility. Therefore it is required to understand the starting characteristics of the facility by experiments. In this paper, the starting characteristics of the SETF and modifications of the ejector are described.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.451-458
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• 2010

Unlike most aerodynamic wind-tunnel, Scramjet Engine Test Facility(SETF) of Korea Aerospace Research Institute should simulate enthalpy condition at a flight condition. SETF is a blow-down type, high-enthalpy wind tunnel. To attain a flight condition, a highly stagnated air comes into the test cell through a supersonic nozzle. Also, an air ejector of the SETF is used for simulating altitude conditions of the engine, and facility starting. SETF has a free-jet type test cell and this free-jet type test cell can simulate a boundary layer effect between an airplane and engine using facility nozzle, but it is too difficult to predict the nature of the facility. Therefore it is required to understand the starting characteristics of the facility by experiments. In this paper, the starting characteristics of the SETF and modifications of the ejector are described.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.200.2-200.2
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• 2016

Carbon-based materials have been known as ablative material and have been used for thermal protection systems. Ablation is an erosive phenomenon that results in thermochemical and thermomechanical changes on materials. Ablation resistance is one of the key properties that determines performance and life-time of the thermal protection material under ablative conditions. In this study, ablation properties of graphite, 3-dimensional (C/C) composites (needle-punched type and rod type) were investigated byusing a plasma wind tunnel which produce a supersonic plasma flow from a segmented arc heater with the power level of 0.4 MW. The mass losses and surface roughness changes which contain main result of the ablation are measured. A morphological analysis ofthe carbon-based materials, before and after the ablation test, are performed through field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and non-contact 3D surface measuring system. Electronic balance and a portable surface roughness tester were used for evaluation of the recession and mass loss of the test samples.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.784-785
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• 2010

The high enthalpy plasma research center in Chonbuk national university is under construction for MW class plasma wind tunnel. Four types of plasma equipment will be installed in the research center. The equipments are 1set of 0.4 MW class enhanced Huels type plasma equipment, 1 set of 2.4 MW class enhanced Huels type plasma quipment, 1 set of 60 kW RF plasma equipment and 1 set of 200 kW RF plasma equipment. And electrical, water and gas utilities to assistant plasma equipments are under construction.