Computation of temperature distribution in the integrated thermal protection system for reusable launch vehicle

In this paper the mathematical model of three-layer system representing the integrated thermal protection system, possible to use in the reusable launch vehicle, is discussed. In each layer the distribution of temperature is described with the aid of the heat conduction equation, completed by the interface boundary conditions properly defined at the interfaces between adjacent layers. On the outer surface the boundary condition of the second kind is assumed, including the aerothermal heat flux generated at NASA Langley Research Center. Whereas on the inner surface the boundary condition of the first kind is defined. Moreover, the model allows the variation of material parameters depending on the temperature. The numerical problem is solved by using the implicit scheme of the finite difference method. The procedure is executed for various space-time grids and the results of this research confirm the convergence of the scheme when the grid dense increases.