Closed‐Loop Coupling Modeling and Experiment for Ablation Thermal Response of Carbon/Phenolic Composites

ABSTRACT Precise prediction of the ablation thermal response of carbon/phenolic (C/Ph) composites in thermal protection systems (TPSs) is crucial for hypersonic vehicles. However, current models are constrained by fragmented material data and overly simplistic pyrolysis assumptions. To address this, our study introduces a closed‐loop framework that combines experimental characterization, multiphysics modeling, and plasma wind tunnel validation within a closed‐loop architecture: Experimental data refine model parameters; model predictions are experimentally validated for reliability. This framework replaces the traditional linear approximation approach, which oversimplifies the temperature‐dependent thermophysical properties (such as thermal conductivity and specific heat) of the pyrolysis layer, resulting in cumulative errors when capturing nonlinear pyrolysis behavior. Instead, it employs a real parameter system enabled by a self‐developed high‐temperature thermophysical property identification system. This system facilitates in situ, real‐time measurement of the pyrolysis layer's dynamic thermophysical properties under conditions of coupled heat conduction, gas seepage, and chemical reactions, thereby overcoming the limitations of offline or decoupled measurement techniques. A multi‐field model that integrates heat conduction, Darcy flow, and chemical reactions via the Arrhenius equation is used to simulate the dynamic thermo‐ablation evolution under aerothermal loads. Plasma wind tunnel experiments validate the model's accuracy, showing acceptable engineering tolerances for critical ablation metrics: mass ablation (4.2% error), surface temperature (2.4% error), and linear ablation (3.6% error). This framework resolves data inconsistencies and realistically simulates ablation dynamics, offering an improved methodology for TPS design.