Numerical Analysis of a High Field Magnetic Heat Shield for Re-Entry Applications

Abstract Hypersonic flight is important for both military and civilian purposes. A major challenge at these high speeds is the extreme heat threatening the safety and performance of the vehicle. Recent advances in high temperature super conducting magnets (HTS) and high performance computing have renewed interest in this subject. We simulate an upcoming experiment to place an HTS magnet in the Gottingen shock tunnel. We show that the 2 T HTS magnet can increase the shock standoff distance by 1.5 cm (a $$60\%$$ 60 % increase) and reduce the heat flux on the front surface by up to $$12\%$$ 12 % .