Cad Modeling and Heat Transfer Analysis of a Re-Entry Vehicle Nose Cone

The design of re-entry vehicles poses significant challenges due to the severe thermal and aerodynamic loads encountered during atmospheric re-entry. Among the critical components, the nose cone is subjected to the highest stagnation-point heating, requiring careful geometric design and appropriate thermal protection strategies. This project focuses on the parametric modeling of a blunted ogive nose cone using PTC Creo and the subsequent heat transfer analysis using ANSYS. The CAD model is developed with adjustable parameters such as base diameter, nose radius, and length-to-diameter ratio, ensuring flexibility for optimization studies. The blunted profile is chosen to reduce peak heating while maintaining acceptable aerodynamic performance. The thermal environment is initially estimated using analytical methods such as the Fay–Riddell stagnation-point heat transfer correlation to obtain conservative peak heating rates. These estimates are then validated and refined through high-fidelity computational simulations in ANSYS Fluent. A compressible Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) solver is employed to predict shock layer characteristics and surface heat flux distribution. Conjugate Heat Transfer (CHT) simulations are further performed to study the transient temperature response within the Thermal Protection System (TPS) layers and the structural substrate. Candidate TPS materials such as carbon-phenolic and silica-based ceramics are analyzed for their ability to withstand predicted heat fluxes while maintaining structural integrity. The outcomes of this work include stagnation-point heat flux evaluation, temperature distribution across the TPS thickness, and potential ablation or material degradation effects. By integrating analytical predictions with numerical simulations, the study provides a validated workflow for nose cone thermal design. The results are expected to aid in material selection, TPS sizing, and overall design optimization of re-entry vehicle nose cones, thereby contributing to the safety and reliability of future space missions.