Experiment on Drag Enhancement for a Blunt Body with Electrodynamic Heat Shield

摘要

The electrodynamic heat-shield technique, which is known as a potential alternative to the conventional thermal protection system in a reentry flight, enables us to control directly a partially ionized plasma flow in a shock layer as a result of the interaction between the flow and a magnetic field applied around a reentry vehicle. The origin of the interaction is the Lorentz force generated by the magnetic field. As a result of the control, we can expect not only a shock-layer enhancement, which causes heat flux mitigation, but also a reaction force to the vehicle in which the magnetic field generator is mounted. Such a reaction force causes a drag enhancement for the vehicle. In the present study, we experimentally verify not only the drag enhancement but also the integrated Lorentz force, which is the main cause for the drag enhancement. This experimental verification is a direct corroboration of the interaction that is a basis of the electrodynamic heat-shield technique.