Analysis of Tangential Combustion Instability Modes in a LOX/Kerosene Liquid Rocket Engine Based on OpenFOAM

Self-excited high frequency combustion instability (HFCI) of first-order tangential (1T) mode was observed in a staged-combustion LOX/Kerosene liquid rocket engine numerically. Two different kinds of 1T patterns, standing wave mode and traveling wave mode, were captured in the present work. In the nominal operation condition, the ratio of oxygen-to-fuel (O/F) was 2.5. Propellant was evenly distributed in all injectors and no HFCI occurred. The chamber pressure obtained from the numerical simulation and experiment showed a good agreement, which validated the numerical model. When the mass flow of fuel for two injectors was modified, severe HFCI occurred. The pressure wave node was located at a fixed diameter, showing a 1T standing wave mode. As the O/F was set 4.4 and the propellant distribution was completely uniform, the numerical result yielded a 1T wave node featured a spinning behavior, which was a traveling 1T wave mode. Once the HFCI arose, no matter what standing mode or spinning mode, the pressure and heat release oscillated totally in phase temporally and coupled spatially. The heat release from combustion was fed into the resonant acoustic mode. This was the thermoacoustic coupling process that maintained the HFCI.

Effect of Centrifugal Force On Gas Flow in a Supersonic Turbine

The flow condition between the rotor blades of a liquid rocket engine supersonic turbine was studied experimentally and numerically. The entrance Mach number was 1.94, and the turning angle of the blades was 120°. A shock wave was created at the leading edge of the blade, and the Mach number in the passage between the blades decreased to around unity. A similar deceleration has been reported in several past studies. It was found that centrifugal force created the shock wave at the leading edge, reducing both the Mach number and total pressure. This phenomenon is characteristic of high-speed blades with large turning angles. The Mach number in the passage was restricted when the mass flow rate was specified under the specified passage configuration. A convergent-divergent configuration of the passage between the blades suppresses the performance degradation of supersonic turbines.

Numerical validation of pressure and flow characteristics across a control valve in a feed line

This work is intended to understand the variation of pressure and flow at the pump inlet of liquid rocket engine. The opening and closure of the valve upstream of the pump features complex phenomenon. The opening and closing of the valve cause pressure and flow variations at the pump inlet which may lead to combustion instabilities in combustion chamber of engine, hydraulic transients in feedlines, and off-design operation of turbo-pumps which are fundamental to the efficient testing and operation of engine. A numerical model to predict the pressure and flow transients across a control valve for different rate of opening in fluid feed systems has been developed using first-order finite difference technique. In case of flow in pipes, the velocity and pressure is governed by momentum and continuity equations. A computer code for the prediction of fluid transients is developed based on method of characteristics for one-dimensional fluid flow in pipelines and compared with test data for validation. The control valve is considered to be in-line with the feed line and modeled based on the valve coefficient vs. percent opening of valve. This model can subsequently be used to predict the effect of opening/closing time of the valve on pressure surges across the control valve and corresponding flow rate in the feedline for different opening of the valve.

Soot Formation Numerical Simulation in Reducing Gas Generators of Oxygen-Methane Liquid Rocket Engines

A method for numerical simulation of operating processes in reducing gas generators with calculation of the condensed phase (soot) formation process detailed structure has been developed. It is assumed that soot is formed from gas-phase fuel in two stages. At the first stage, active radical nuclei are formed, and at the second stage, carbon black particles are formed from these nuclei. Numerical modeling of processes, fuel mixing and combustion, as well as soot formation in model reducing oxygen-methane gas generators with gas-liquid coaxial mixing elements of jet-jet type has been performed. Gas generators of this type can be used in promising oxygen-methane liquid rocket engines operating on open and closed circuits with reducing gas generators, as well as on the gas-gas circuit having reducing and oxidizing gas generators. A comparative analysis of soot formation features in gas generators with single- and multi-nozzle mixing heads has been performed. It is shown that a decrease in the pitch between the mixing elements leads to a significant change in the mixture formation processes, fuel combustion and the flow of combustion products (all other conditions being equal), which significantly reduces the intensity of condensed phase formation in reducing gas generators. The numerical simulation method will be used for studies of fuel combustion and condensed phase formation in regenerative gas generators of modern and advanced liquid rocket engines at the stages of development, design and improvement