Influence of Port Geometry on Thrust Transient of Solid Propellant Rockets at Liftoff
Numerical studies have been carried out using a two
dimensional code to examine the influence of pressure / thrust
transient of solid propellant rockets at liftoff. This code solves
unsteady Reynolds-averaged thin-layer Navier–Stokes equations by
an implicit LU-factorization time-integration method. The results
from the parametric study indicate that when the port is narrow there
is a possibility of increase in pressure / thrust-rise rate due to
relatively high flame spread rate. Parametric studies further reveal
that flame spread rate can be altered by altering the propellant
properties, igniter jet characteristics and nozzle closure burst pressure
without altering the grain configuration and/or the mission
demanding thrust transient. We observed that when the igniter
turbulent intensity is relatively low the vehicle could liftoff early due
to the early flow choking of the rocket nozzle. We concluded that the
high pressurization-rate has structural implications at liftoff in
addition to transient burning effect. Therefore prudent selection of the
port geometry and the igniter, for meeting the mission requirements,
within the given envelop are meaningful objectives for any designer
for the smooth liftoff of solid propellant rockets.
[1] V.R. Sanal Kumar, B.N. Raghunandan, T. Kawakami, H.D. Kim, T.
Setoguchi, and S. Raghunathan, " Boundary-Layer Effects on Internal
Flow Choking in Dual-Thrust Solid Rocket Motors," AIAA Journal of
Propulsion and Power, Vol.24, No.2, March-April 2008.
[2] V.R. Sanal Kumar, and B.N. Raghunandan, "Ignition Transient of Dualthrust
Motors - A Review," 48th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint
Propulsion Conference and Exhibit, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 28 July - 1
August 2012, Paper No. AIAA 2012-4043.
[3] V.R. Sanal Kumar, "Thermoviscoelastic Characterization of a
Composite Solid Propellant Using Tubular Test," Journal of Propulsion
and Power, Vol. 19, No. 3, pp. 397-404, 2003.
[4] H. Ikawa, and F.S. Laspesa, "Ignition/Duct Overpressure Induced by
Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Motor Ignition," Journal of Spacecraft and
Rockets, Vol. 22, No. 4, pp. 481, 1985.
[5] G.D. Luke, M.A. Eager, and H.A. Dwyer, "Ignition Transient Model for
Large Aspect Ratio Solid Rocket Motors," AIAA Paper 96-3273, 1996.
[6] S. Alestra, I. Terrasse, and B. Troclet, "Identification of Acoustic
Sources at Launch Vehicle Lift-Off Using an Inverse Method," AIAA
Paper 2002-926, 2002.
[7] M. Salita, M., "Modern SRM Ignition Transient Modeling (Part 1):
Introduction and Physical Models," AIAA Paper 2001-3443, 2001.
[8] V.R. Sanal Kumar, B.N. Raghunandan, H.D. Kim, A. Sameen, T.
Setoguchi, and S. Raghunathan, "Starting Transient Flow Phenomena in
Inert Simulators of SRM swith Divergent Ports," Journal of Propulsion
and Power, Vol. 22, No. 5, pp. 1138-1141, 2006.
[9] V.R. Sanal Kumar, B.N. Raghunandan, H.D. Kim, A. Sameen, T.
Setoguchi, and S. Raghunathan "Studies on Internal Flow Choking in
Dual-Thrust Motors," Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 43, No. 5,
pp. 1140-1143, Sept.-Oct. 2006.
[10] B.N. Raghunandan, V.R. Sanal Kumar, C. Unnikrishnan, and C.
Sanjeev, "Flame Spread with Sudden Expansions of Ports of Solid
Rockets," Journal of Propulsion and Power, Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 73-78,
2001.
[11] B.N. Raghunandan, N.S. Madhavan, C. Sanjeev, and V.R. Sanal Kumar,
"Studies on Flame Spread with Sudden Expansions of Ports of Solid
Propellant Rockets Under Elevated Pressure," Defence Science Journal,
Vol. 46, No. 5, pp. 417-423, Nov. 1996.
[12] A. Peretz, K.K. Kuo, L.H. Caveny, and M. Summerfield, "Starting
Transient of Solid Propellant Rocket Motors with High Internal Gas
Velocities," AIAA Journal, Vol. 11, No. 12, 1973, pp. 1719-1729.
[13] D.L. Baker, "Method of predicting chamber pressure transients during
the ignition of solid propellant rocket motors," United Technology
Center, Sunnyvale, California, UTC TM - 14 - 62 - UZ, March 1962.
[14] L.H.Caveny, and K.K.Kuo, and B.W. Shackelford, "Thrust and ignition
transient of the space shuttle solid rocket motor," Journal of Spacecraft
and Rockets, Vol.17., Nov-Dec. 1980, pp 489-494.
[15] D.R. Manson, S.K. Folkman, and M.A. Behring, "Thrust Oscillations of
the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster Motor During Static Tests,"
AIAA Paper 79-1138, 1979.
[16] Lemic, Dragan_" Flame spreading over solid rocket propellants during
ignition transient", Sci.- Tech. Rev., 52 (3), 33-39, 2002.
[17] N. Lukin, Alexander,"Numerical modeling and method of prevention of
the anomalous combustion regimes development in the high-loading
density solid propellant rocket motor", Proc. Int. Pyrotech. Semin, 28th,
513-528, 2001.
[18] Cho, In Hyun; Baek, Seung Wook "Numerical analysis of ignition
transient in an axisymmetric solid rocket motor equipped with rear
ignition system", Combust. Sci. Technol, 152,81-98, 2000.
[19] C. Aswin, S. Srichand Vishnu, D. Aravind Kumar, S. Deepthi, S.K.
Kumaresh, M. Arun, and V.R. Sanal Kumar, "Studies on Ignition
Delay and Flame Spread in High-performance Solid Rocket Motors,"
Applied Mechanics and Materials, vol. 232, pp 316-321, 2012.
[20] Report of the Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger
Accident, June 1986. http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/51-
l/docs/rogers-commission/table-of-contents.html
[21] T.F. Zien, "Integral Solution of Ablation Problems with Time-
Dependent Heat Flux," AIAA Journal, vol. 16,No. 12, 1978, pp. 1287-
1295.
[1] V.R. Sanal Kumar, B.N. Raghunandan, T. Kawakami, H.D. Kim, T.
Setoguchi, and S. Raghunathan, " Boundary-Layer Effects on Internal
Flow Choking in Dual-Thrust Solid Rocket Motors," AIAA Journal of
Propulsion and Power, Vol.24, No.2, March-April 2008.
[2] V.R. Sanal Kumar, and B.N. Raghunandan, "Ignition Transient of Dualthrust
Motors - A Review," 48th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint
Propulsion Conference and Exhibit, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 28 July - 1
August 2012, Paper No. AIAA 2012-4043.
[3] V.R. Sanal Kumar, "Thermoviscoelastic Characterization of a
Composite Solid Propellant Using Tubular Test," Journal of Propulsion
and Power, Vol. 19, No. 3, pp. 397-404, 2003.
[4] H. Ikawa, and F.S. Laspesa, "Ignition/Duct Overpressure Induced by
Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Motor Ignition," Journal of Spacecraft and
Rockets, Vol. 22, No. 4, pp. 481, 1985.
[5] G.D. Luke, M.A. Eager, and H.A. Dwyer, "Ignition Transient Model for
Large Aspect Ratio Solid Rocket Motors," AIAA Paper 96-3273, 1996.
[6] S. Alestra, I. Terrasse, and B. Troclet, "Identification of Acoustic
Sources at Launch Vehicle Lift-Off Using an Inverse Method," AIAA
Paper 2002-926, 2002.
[7] M. Salita, M., "Modern SRM Ignition Transient Modeling (Part 1):
Introduction and Physical Models," AIAA Paper 2001-3443, 2001.
[8] V.R. Sanal Kumar, B.N. Raghunandan, H.D. Kim, A. Sameen, T.
Setoguchi, and S. Raghunathan, "Starting Transient Flow Phenomena in
Inert Simulators of SRM swith Divergent Ports," Journal of Propulsion
and Power, Vol. 22, No. 5, pp. 1138-1141, 2006.
[9] V.R. Sanal Kumar, B.N. Raghunandan, H.D. Kim, A. Sameen, T.
Setoguchi, and S. Raghunathan "Studies on Internal Flow Choking in
Dual-Thrust Motors," Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 43, No. 5,
pp. 1140-1143, Sept.-Oct. 2006.
[10] B.N. Raghunandan, V.R. Sanal Kumar, C. Unnikrishnan, and C.
Sanjeev, "Flame Spread with Sudden Expansions of Ports of Solid
Rockets," Journal of Propulsion and Power, Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 73-78,
2001.
[11] B.N. Raghunandan, N.S. Madhavan, C. Sanjeev, and V.R. Sanal Kumar,
"Studies on Flame Spread with Sudden Expansions of Ports of Solid
Propellant Rockets Under Elevated Pressure," Defence Science Journal,
Vol. 46, No. 5, pp. 417-423, Nov. 1996.
[12] A. Peretz, K.K. Kuo, L.H. Caveny, and M. Summerfield, "Starting
Transient of Solid Propellant Rocket Motors with High Internal Gas
Velocities," AIAA Journal, Vol. 11, No. 12, 1973, pp. 1719-1729.
[13] D.L. Baker, "Method of predicting chamber pressure transients during
the ignition of solid propellant rocket motors," United Technology
Center, Sunnyvale, California, UTC TM - 14 - 62 - UZ, March 1962.
[14] L.H.Caveny, and K.K.Kuo, and B.W. Shackelford, "Thrust and ignition
transient of the space shuttle solid rocket motor," Journal of Spacecraft
and Rockets, Vol.17., Nov-Dec. 1980, pp 489-494.
[15] D.R. Manson, S.K. Folkman, and M.A. Behring, "Thrust Oscillations of
the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster Motor During Static Tests,"
AIAA Paper 79-1138, 1979.
[16] Lemic, Dragan_" Flame spreading over solid rocket propellants during
ignition transient", Sci.- Tech. Rev., 52 (3), 33-39, 2002.
[17] N. Lukin, Alexander,"Numerical modeling and method of prevention of
the anomalous combustion regimes development in the high-loading
density solid propellant rocket motor", Proc. Int. Pyrotech. Semin, 28th,
513-528, 2001.
[18] Cho, In Hyun; Baek, Seung Wook "Numerical analysis of ignition
transient in an axisymmetric solid rocket motor equipped with rear
ignition system", Combust. Sci. Technol, 152,81-98, 2000.
[19] C. Aswin, S. Srichand Vishnu, D. Aravind Kumar, S. Deepthi, S.K.
Kumaresh, M. Arun, and V.R. Sanal Kumar, "Studies on Ignition
Delay and Flame Spread in High-performance Solid Rocket Motors,"
Applied Mechanics and Materials, vol. 232, pp 316-321, 2012.
[20] Report of the Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger
Accident, June 1986. http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/51-
l/docs/rogers-commission/table-of-contents.html
[21] T.F. Zien, "Integral Solution of Ablation Problems with Time-
Dependent Heat Flux," AIAA Journal, vol. 16,No. 12, 1978, pp. 1287-
1295.
@article{"International Journal of Mechanical, Industrial and Aerospace Sciences:62281", author = "Karuppasamy Pandian. M and Krishna Raj. K and Sabarinath. K and Sandeep. G and Sanal Kumar. V.R.", title = "Influence of Port Geometry on Thrust Transient of Solid Propellant Rockets at Liftoff", abstract = "Numerical studies have been carried out using a two
dimensional code to examine the influence of pressure / thrust
transient of solid propellant rockets at liftoff. This code solves
unsteady Reynolds-averaged thin-layer Navier–Stokes equations by
an implicit LU-factorization time-integration method. The results
from the parametric study indicate that when the port is narrow there
is a possibility of increase in pressure / thrust-rise rate due to
relatively high flame spread rate. Parametric studies further reveal
that flame spread rate can be altered by altering the propellant
properties, igniter jet characteristics and nozzle closure burst pressure
without altering the grain configuration and/or the mission
demanding thrust transient. We observed that when the igniter
turbulent intensity is relatively low the vehicle could liftoff early due
to the early flow choking of the rocket nozzle. We concluded that the
high pressurization-rate has structural implications at liftoff in
addition to transient burning effect. Therefore prudent selection of the
port geometry and the igniter, for meeting the mission requirements,
within the given envelop are meaningful objectives for any designer
for the smooth liftoff of solid propellant rockets.", keywords = "Igniter Characteristics, Solid Propellant Rocket,
SRM Liftoff, Starting Thrust Transient.", volume = "6", number = "11", pages = "2562-6", }
