Comparative surface heat transfer measurements in hypervelocity flow

Experimental heat flux measurements are made using both thermocouple and thin film gages in high-temperature, hypersonic flows. Thermocouple and thin film gages have individually been extensively used in relatively high and low enthalpy conditions respectively. In this study, three test conditions with varying (intermediate) stagnation enthalpies, Mach and Reynolds numbers are created in an expansion tube facility, and temperature histories and heat flux measurements obtained using the two gage types are directly compared. Gage performance in terms of survivability, response, uncertainty, and signal-to-noise ratio is assessed for both blunt body and flat plate models