Two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics analysis of internal flow in a simplified solid rocket motor combustion chamber

Abstract

Many countries in recent year have focused on small satellite launch. Therefore, Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) plays an important role in the development of small satellites. However, vortical flows sometimes occur from an inhibitor in the propellant, which causes the pressure oscillation. The basic research was carried out to compute various types of simplified SRM model. In this study, Cartesian mesh-based CFD solver, Building-Cube Method (BCM), was employed with the implementation of internal flow boundary condition, and applied for two Taylor Flow models, CDV nozzle and Simple SRM model with/without an inhibitor. According to two Taylor flow model result, the BCM was able to analyze the internal flow in the simplified SRM combustion chamber. The BCM is proved to be valid for nozzle model because the result of CDV nozzle was qualitatively agreed with theoretical solution. According to the result of the simple SRM model, the BCM was able to predict flowfield in the SRM combustion chamber, even with the existence of an inhibitor. Throughout the computations, BCM solver was able to reproduce flows in the SRM combustion chamber, thus it is expected the approach has a great potential to apply for the internal flows in the complicated SRM combustion chamber.