Jeongwoo KIM, Seonghyun SO, Kyungsoo PARK, Jungmin LEE, Jaejeong NA, Minwook KIM, Dongki HYUN, Gisu PARK, Christian DUERNHOFER, Stefan LOEHLE
DOI Number: N/A
Conference number: HiSST-2025-005
The growing demand for hypersonic vehicle development requires accurate ground testing under appropriate thermal and pressure conditions. This study introduces a novel integrated probe capable of simultaneously measuring heat flux and stagnation pressure for arcjet testing. The apparatus incorporates a water-cooled Gardon gauge and dual stagnation pressure ports in a compact design compliant with ESA standards. Three experimental campaigns were conducted in the PWK4 arcjet facility at IRS, Germany, under both low- and high-enthalpy conditions. Key findings include: (1) a 2 mm pressure port is sufficient for stable stagnation pressure measurement; (2) graphite paste on the Gardon gauge significantly influences heat flux readings, with paste depletion increasing measured flux due to reduced emissivity; (3) the exposed constantan surface exhibits a higher catalytic effect than oxidized copper, leading to elevated heat flux values compared with calorimeter references; and (4) both pressure and heat flux profiles exhibit a bell-shaped distribution, with higher values along the central axis. The integrated probe demonstrated durability, repeatability, and sensitivity to surface conditions, providing a reliable tool for pinpoint heat flux measurements in high-enthalpy arcjet testing.