HEAT-TRANSFER PECULIARITIES IN SUPERSONIC FLOWS

A method of heat transfer and gas flow investigation based on the application of thermal sensitive coatings or thermocouple sensors and various visualization techniques is described. The thermal sensitive coatings and visualization reveal heat transfer peculiarities, and the complex nature of the method contributes to understanding the processes and generalization of quantitative results. Data concerning heat transfer on the leeward side of a blunt cone in the regions of the shock-wave boundary layer and bow wave interaction, in gaps and cavities of the orbiter's thermal insulation, and in the vicinity of them, are presented.