Computational modeling of test articles in the PlasmatronX inductively coupled plasma facility

This thesis presents a detailed numerical investigation of plasma–material interactions under non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) conditions, using the PlasmatronX inductively coupled plasma (ICP) facility at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as the reference testbed. The study is motivated by the need for accurate prediction of surface heat flux and species behavior in high-enthalpy environments relevant to atmospheric reentry and thermal protection system (TPS) design. A multi-physics simulation framework was employed, coupling a finite-volume NLTE flow solver (HEGEL), a finite-element electromagnetic solver (FLUX), and a detailed thermochemical and transport property library (PLATO). The framework accounts for multi-temperature thermochemistry, electromagnetic power deposition, and finite-rate gas–surface interactions. Three complementary studies were performed. First, axisymmetric NLTE simulations of a calorimetric probe (isoQ30) were conducted across varying RF(Radio Frequency) power and chamber pressures. A stagnation-line boundary layer formulation was used to estimate wall catalytic activity, and the computed heat fluxes and nozzle exit enthalpies showed strong agreement with experimental measurements. Second, simulations at 55~kW and 200~mbar were validated against TALIF-based profiles of temperature and atomic species, demonstrating accurate reproduction of experimental trends. Third, two-dimensional and three-dimensional simulations over a graphite wedge test article were carried out, incorporating finite-rate gas–surface reactions. These analyses revealed significant production of carbonaceous species and highlighted the role of lateral spreading, vortex roll-up, and compositional mixing in shaping the heat flux distribution. The obtained results underscore the importance of detailed surface chemistry modeling, boundary layer resolution, and multi-dimensional flow effects in the accurate prediction of plasma–surface interactions. The simulation framework developed in this work offers a robust foundation for future experimental validation, coupling with material response models, and the design of advanced TPS configurations for reentry applications.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Aerospace Engineering

Grantor

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2025

Author dc:creator

• Singh, Abhyudaya

Contributors dc:contributor

• Panesi, Marco

• Hypersonics
• Computational Fluid Dynamics
• Plasma
• Validation

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2025 Abhyudaya Singh

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/130199

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F130199