ENGINEERING AND CFD
Fathoming the Processes inside Rocket Combustion Chambers
Principal Investigator:
Peter Gerlinger
Affiliation:
Institut für Verbrennungstechnik der Luft- und Raumfahrt, Universität Stuttgart (Germany)
Local Project ID:
SCRCOMB
HPC Platform used:
Hazel Hen of HLRS
Date published:
Cryogenic Rocket Combustion
Fig. 1: Iso-contours of temperature (3300 K) reveal the three-dimensional character and the large differences in the scales of the flame structures in this model rocket combustor with a single shear-coaxial injector.
Copyright: IVLR, University of StuttgartRocket propulsion systems like the European Vulcain II engine have been successfully used to deliver payloads, such as telecommunication and earth observation satellites, into space for several decades. Yet, the complex processes in rocket combustion chambers are still not fully understood. These devices have to sustain massive thermal and mechanical loads due to the high temperatures and pressures of the combustion processes. Furthermore these propulsion systems are very sensitive to thermo-acoustic instabilities which may be strong and cause to the destruction of the combustion chamber. For further improvements or reusability of the combustion chamber, as done by SpaceX with their Falcon 9 rocket and Merlin engine, a better understanding of the processes is indispensable. By the use of modern supercomputers it is possible to gain detailed insights into the complex phenomena like multi-phase flow (liquid oxygen), turbulence and chemical reactions, as well as their interaction.
Fig. 2: Temperature slices and oxygen iso-contours showing the three-dimensional character of the flow field due to the multi-injector-interaction in a methane model rocket combustor with seven shear-coaxial injectors.
Copyright: IVLR, University of StuttgartResearch topics at the IVLR include combustion instabilities, new fuel compositions (e.g. methane), thermal load prediction improvements of the combustion chamber structure, modelling of turbulence-chemistry interaction, multi-injector interaction and trans- or supercritical real-gas flows (liquid-like oxygen).
Fig. 3: Temperature distribution near the injector for the model rocket combustor of Fig. 1 which shows strong three-dimensional effects and a strong convolution of the flame.
Copyright: IVLR, University of StuttgartFor their investigations the IVLR scientists employ, develop and improve sophisticated turbulence and combustion models that are accurate but computationally time consuming and therefore require the utilization of modern high performance computers such as the petascale system Hazel Hen of the HLRS Stuttgart.
Scientific Contact:
apl. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Peter Gerlinger
Universität Stuttgart
Institut für Verbrennungstechnik der Luft- und Raumfahrt
Pfaffenwaldring 38-40, D-70569 Stuttgart
e-mail: peter.gerlinger[at]dlr.de