Studies on Pre-Ignition Chamber Dynamics of Solid Rockets with Different Port Geometries
In this paper numerical studies have been carried out
to examine the pre-ignition flow features of high-performance solid
propellant rocket motors with two different port geometries but with
same propellant loading density. Numerical computations have been
carried out using a validated 3D, unsteady, 2nd-order implicit, SST k-
ω turbulence model. In the numerical study, a fully implicit finite
volume scheme of the compressible, Reynolds-Averaged, Navier-
Stokes equations is employed. We have observed from the numerical
results that in solid rocket motors with highly loaded propellants
having divergent port geometry the hot igniter gases can create preignition
pressure oscillations leading to thrust oscillations due to the
flow unsteadiness and recirculation. We have also observed that the
igniter temperature fluctuations are diminished rapidly thereby
reaching the steady state value faster in the case of solid propellant
rocket motors with convergent port than the divergent port
irrespective of the igniter total pressure. We have concluded that the
prudent selection of the port geometry, without altering the propellant
loading density, for damping the total temperature fluctuations within
the motor is a meaningful objective for the suppression and control of
instability and/or thrust oscillations often observed in solid propellant
rocket motors with non-uniform port geometry.
[1] Sanal Kumar, V. R., Raghunandan, B.N., Kawakami. T., Kim, H.D.,
Setoguchi, T., and Raghunathan, S., “Boundary Layer Effects on
Internal Flow Choking in Dual-Thrust Solid Rocket Motors,” Journal of
Propulsion and Power, Vol.14, 2 (2008).
[2] Raghunandan, B. N., Sanal Kumar, V.R., Unnikrishnan, C and Sanjeev,
C., “Flame Spread With Sudden Expansions of Ports of Solid Rockets”,
Journal of Propulsion and Power, Vol. 17 (1), 2001.
[3] Raghunandan, B. N., Madhavan, N. S., Sanjeev, C and Sanal Kumar, V.
R., “Studies on Flame Spread with Sudden Expansions of Ports of Solid
Propellant Rockets under Elevated Pressure,” Defence Science Journal,
Vol. 46, No.5, Nov. 1996, pp 417.
[4] Peretz, A., Kuo, K. K., Caveny, L. H., and Summerfield, M., Starting
Transient of Solid Propellant Rocket Motors with High Internal Gas
Velocities, AIAA J., Vol. 11, 12 (1973), pp. 1719.
[5] Sanal Kumar, V. R., Raghunandan, B. N., Kim, H.D., Sameen.A.,
Setoguchi, T., and Raghunathan, S, “Starting Transient Flow Phenomena
in Inert Simulators of SRMs with Divergent Ports,” AIAA Journal of
Propulsion and Power, Vol. 22, 5 (2006), pp. 1138-1141.
[6] Sanal Kumar, V. R., Raghunandan, B.N., Kim, H.D., Sameen, A.,
Setoguchi, T., and Raghunathan, S., “Studies on Internal Flow Choking
in Dual-thrust Motors” AIAA Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol.43,
5 (2006), pp.1139-1143.
[7] Sanal Kumar, V. R., Kim, H.D., Raghunandan, B. N., Sameen.A.,
Setoguchi, T., and Raghunathan, S, “Fluid-Throat Induced Shock Waves
During the Ignition Transient of Solid Rockets,” AIAA J. of Spacecraft
and Rockets, Vol.43, 1 (2006).
[8] Sanal Kumar, V. R., Kim, H.D., Raghunandan, B. N., Setoguchi, T., and
S. Raghunathan, “Internal Flow Simulation of High-Performance Solid
Rockets Using a k-ω Turbulence Model,” International Journal of
Thermal and Fluid Sciences, Vol.14, No.2, June 2005.
[9] Ikawa, Hideo, Laspesa, Fred S. “Ignition/Duct Overpressure Induced by
Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Motor Ignition,” Journal of Spacecraft and
Rockets, Vol. 22, 1985, p. 481.
[10] Salita, M., “Modern SRM Ignition Transient Modeling (Part 1):
Introduction and Physical Models”, AIAA Paper, No. AIAA 2001-3443,
2001.
[11] Alestra, S., Terrasse, I., and Troclet, B., “Identification of Acoustic
Sources at Launch Vehicle Lift-Off Using an Inverse Method,“ AIAA
Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit, 40th, Reno, NV, Jan. 14-17,
2002, AIAA-2002-926.
[12] Kumar, M and Kuo, K.K., “Flame Spreading and Overall Ignition
Transient,” Prog. Astronaut & Aeronaut, Vol.90, pp. 305-360, 1984.
[13] Sanal Kumar, V.R., “Thermoviscoelastic Characterization of a
Composite Solid Propellant Using Tubular Test,” Journal of Propulsion
and Power, Vol.19, No.3, 2003, pp. 397-404.
[14] Sabnis, J.S., Gibeling, H.J. and McDonald, H., "Navier-Stokes Analysis
of Solid Propellant Rocket Motor Internal Flows", Journal of Propulsion
Power,1989, Vol. 5, pp. 657-664.
[15] Blomshield, F.S. and Mathes, H.B., "Pressure Oscillations in Post-
Challenger Space Shuttle Redesigned Solid Rocket Motors", Journal of
Propulsion Power, Vol. 9, 1993, pp. 217-221.
[16] Deepthi. S et al., “Studies on Starting Thrust Oscillations in Dual-Thrust
Solid Propellant Rocket Motors” Emerging Trends in Science,
Engineering and Technology, Springer, 2012, pp 421.
[17] Ajith. S, Sivabalan. M, Tharikaa.R, Hemasai.N.D, and Sanal Kumar. V.
R, “Diagnostic Investigation of Flame Spread Mechanism in Dual-thrust
Solid Propellant Rocket Motors, 51st AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint
Propulsion Conference , Florida, U.S.A, 27-29 July, 2015. Paper No:
AIAA-2015-4226.
[1] Sanal Kumar, V. R., Raghunandan, B.N., Kawakami. T., Kim, H.D.,
Setoguchi, T., and Raghunathan, S., “Boundary Layer Effects on
Internal Flow Choking in Dual-Thrust Solid Rocket Motors,” Journal of
Propulsion and Power, Vol.14, 2 (2008).
[2] Raghunandan, B. N., Sanal Kumar, V.R., Unnikrishnan, C and Sanjeev,
C., “Flame Spread With Sudden Expansions of Ports of Solid Rockets”,
Journal of Propulsion and Power, Vol. 17 (1), 2001.
[3] Raghunandan, B. N., Madhavan, N. S., Sanjeev, C and Sanal Kumar, V.
R., “Studies on Flame Spread with Sudden Expansions of Ports of Solid
Propellant Rockets under Elevated Pressure,” Defence Science Journal,
Vol. 46, No.5, Nov. 1996, pp 417.
[4] Peretz, A., Kuo, K. K., Caveny, L. H., and Summerfield, M., Starting
Transient of Solid Propellant Rocket Motors with High Internal Gas
Velocities, AIAA J., Vol. 11, 12 (1973), pp. 1719.
[5] Sanal Kumar, V. R., Raghunandan, B. N., Kim, H.D., Sameen.A.,
Setoguchi, T., and Raghunathan, S, “Starting Transient Flow Phenomena
in Inert Simulators of SRMs with Divergent Ports,” AIAA Journal of
Propulsion and Power, Vol. 22, 5 (2006), pp. 1138-1141.
[6] Sanal Kumar, V. R., Raghunandan, B.N., Kim, H.D., Sameen, A.,
Setoguchi, T., and Raghunathan, S., “Studies on Internal Flow Choking
in Dual-thrust Motors” AIAA Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol.43,
5 (2006), pp.1139-1143.
[7] Sanal Kumar, V. R., Kim, H.D., Raghunandan, B. N., Sameen.A.,
Setoguchi, T., and Raghunathan, S, “Fluid-Throat Induced Shock Waves
During the Ignition Transient of Solid Rockets,” AIAA J. of Spacecraft
and Rockets, Vol.43, 1 (2006).
[8] Sanal Kumar, V. R., Kim, H.D., Raghunandan, B. N., Setoguchi, T., and
S. Raghunathan, “Internal Flow Simulation of High-Performance Solid
Rockets Using a k-ω Turbulence Model,” International Journal of
Thermal and Fluid Sciences, Vol.14, No.2, June 2005.
[9] Ikawa, Hideo, Laspesa, Fred S. “Ignition/Duct Overpressure Induced by
Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Motor Ignition,” Journal of Spacecraft and
Rockets, Vol. 22, 1985, p. 481.
[10] Salita, M., “Modern SRM Ignition Transient Modeling (Part 1):
Introduction and Physical Models”, AIAA Paper, No. AIAA 2001-3443,
2001.
[11] Alestra, S., Terrasse, I., and Troclet, B., “Identification of Acoustic
Sources at Launch Vehicle Lift-Off Using an Inverse Method,“ AIAA
Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit, 40th, Reno, NV, Jan. 14-17,
2002, AIAA-2002-926.
[12] Kumar, M and Kuo, K.K., “Flame Spreading and Overall Ignition
Transient,” Prog. Astronaut & Aeronaut, Vol.90, pp. 305-360, 1984.
[13] Sanal Kumar, V.R., “Thermoviscoelastic Characterization of a
Composite Solid Propellant Using Tubular Test,” Journal of Propulsion
and Power, Vol.19, No.3, 2003, pp. 397-404.
[14] Sabnis, J.S., Gibeling, H.J. and McDonald, H., "Navier-Stokes Analysis
of Solid Propellant Rocket Motor Internal Flows", Journal of Propulsion
Power,1989, Vol. 5, pp. 657-664.
[15] Blomshield, F.S. and Mathes, H.B., "Pressure Oscillations in Post-
Challenger Space Shuttle Redesigned Solid Rocket Motors", Journal of
Propulsion Power, Vol. 9, 1993, pp. 217-221.
[16] Deepthi. S et al., “Studies on Starting Thrust Oscillations in Dual-Thrust
Solid Propellant Rocket Motors” Emerging Trends in Science,
Engineering and Technology, Springer, 2012, pp 421.
[17] Ajith. S, Sivabalan. M, Tharikaa.R, Hemasai.N.D, and Sanal Kumar. V.
R, “Diagnostic Investigation of Flame Spread Mechanism in Dual-thrust
Solid Propellant Rocket Motors, 51st AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint
Propulsion Conference , Florida, U.S.A, 27-29 July, 2015. Paper No:
AIAA-2015-4226.
@article{"International Journal of Engineering, Mathematical and Physical Sciences:70821", author = "S. Vivek and Sharad Sharan and R. Arvind and D. V. Praveen and J. Vigneshwar and S. Ajith and V. R. Sanal Kumar", title = "Studies on Pre-Ignition Chamber Dynamics of Solid Rockets with Different Port Geometries", abstract = "In this paper numerical studies have been carried out
to examine the pre-ignition flow features of high-performance solid
propellant rocket motors with two different port geometries but with
same propellant loading density. Numerical computations have been
carried out using a validated 3D, unsteady, 2nd-order implicit, SST k-
ω turbulence model. In the numerical study, a fully implicit finite
volume scheme of the compressible, Reynolds-Averaged, Navier-
Stokes equations is employed. We have observed from the numerical
results that in solid rocket motors with highly loaded propellants
having divergent port geometry the hot igniter gases can create preignition
pressure oscillations leading to thrust oscillations due to the
flow unsteadiness and recirculation. We have also observed that the
igniter temperature fluctuations are diminished rapidly thereby
reaching the steady state value faster in the case of solid propellant
rocket motors with convergent port than the divergent port
irrespective of the igniter total pressure. We have concluded that the
prudent selection of the port geometry, without altering the propellant
loading density, for damping the total temperature fluctuations within
the motor is a meaningful objective for the suppression and control of
instability and/or thrust oscillations often observed in solid propellant
rocket motors with non-uniform port geometry.", keywords = "Pre-Ignition chamber dynamics, starting transient,
solid rockets, thrust oscillations in SRMs, ignition transient.", volume = "9", number = "8", pages = "471-7", }
