Thermal Barrier (Noun)
Meaning
A limit to high speed flight imposed by aerodynamic heating.
Classification
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects.
Examples
- The thermal barrier proved to be a significant challenge for the designers of the experimental aircraft, as it threatened to melt the metal skin at high speeds.
- Aerodynamic heating caused by air resistance created a thermal barrier that limited the maximum speed of the spacecraft during re-entry.
- Engineers worked to develop new materials that could withstand the extreme temperatures generated by the thermal barrier, allowing aircraft to fly faster and higher.
- The thermal barrier imposed a strict limit on the speed of the prototype, forcing the test pilots to slow down to avoid overheating.
- The Concorde's designers had to carefully manage the thermal barrier to prevent damage to the aircraft's structure during supersonic flight.