Efficient Numerical Methodologies for TPS Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulations

In this effort Falcon Dancer Inc and our partner, Kord Technologies LLC, will apply an aerothermal heating methodology developed for the design and analysis of high-speed systems to operate efficiently within U.S. Navy Hardware-In-the-Loop (HIL) simulation software. We use historically anchored, fast running local correlations to predict aerodynamic heating.   The model is currently implemented as MATLAB based tool set which is used to obtain surface heating rates and skin temperatures for hypersonic vehicles. The software calculates three-dimensional stagnation heating rates and temperatures, and two-dimensional stagnation heating rates and temperatures with and without leading-edge sweep. In addition, it calculates lower and upper surface heating rates and temperatures for flat plates, wedges, and cones. Laminar and turbulent heating rates and temperatures can be calculated, with boundary-layer transition controlled as a function of free-stream Reynolds number and free-stream Mach number or a user supplied routine. The code uses time histories of altitude, Mach number, and angle of attack and roll angle along with a MATLAB 1977 standard atmosphere program to obtain the free-stream properties required to make the calculations. To increase accuracy the model is trained using machine learning on ’authoritative truth data’ such as high-fidelity CFD predictions, stability analysis, and/or wind tunnel measurements. The model may be efficiently used with 0D and 1D reduced order models or can be tightly coupled to FEM solvers. The highly integrated and robust technical approach used in this effort will support the TRL maturation of TPS systems using new/novel materials. A typical scenario involves model and device fabrication, computational modeling, testing and final TRL assessment. The key guiding philosophy in our approach will be to develop a “digital thread/digital twin” which incorporates all the informational knowledge gathered in the design and validation of a TPS into a verifiable mathematical model. These models may then be combined with system level analysis tools to verify the TRL of the proposed vehicle design and to support the final TRL maturation in Phase III.  We will work closely with the US Navy to develop a software plan to port the methodology to existing HIL Software framework. This design plan will include software System Requirements Review, Preliminary Design Review and Critical Design Review. A detailed plan will be developed for gathering the information needed from new material developments to support HIL testing.