Unsteady conjugate heat transfer simulation around the throat insert in a high enthalpy shock tunnel

High enthalpy shock tunnel is a critical ground testing facility for evaluating the aerodynamic performance of hypersonic vehicles by simulating high-enthalpy, hypersonic flows. However, as the total temperature or pressure of the stagnant gas rises, the throat insert may be subjected to melting or oxidation, leading to a degradation in flow quality or a reduction in effective test time. This study investigates the unsteady heat transfer between the gas flow and the throat insert using a conjugate heat transfer model. The effects of test time, total temperature, and total pressure on the throat temperature are presented. An increase in any of these factors will raise the throat temperature. Moreover, oxidation will cause the copper throat insert to melt more quickly under the same conditions, which should be considered when addressing throat melting issues.