Cfd simulation of a 1kn paraffin-fueled hybrid rocket engine

B. Dequick, M. Lefebvre, P. Hendrick

Publikation: Beitrag in Buch/Bericht/KonferenzbandKonferenzbeitragBegutachtung

Abstract

Hybrid rocket engines (HREs) are rocket engines that combine a solid fuel and a liquid (or gaseous) oxidizer, or vice versa. A setup with a solid fuel is most commonly used. For some years now, researchers at Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) are running tests with a test bench HRE. This engine has a target thrust of 1 kN and uses a paraffin fuel with liquid N2O as oxidizer. A first computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of this engine is presented here. It is a steady-state RANS simulation, using the standard k-∈turbulence model together with the Eddy Dissipation Model (EDM) for the turbulence chemistry interaction (TCI). Oxidizer and fuel enter the domain in a gaseous phase. An ambient area is included in the computational domain as well. This avoids imposing a boundary condition at the nozzle exit section, and therefore a more correct pressure profile can be formed. Furthermore, it allows to compare and investigate the exhaust plume structure. The results are compared with test firing data and show an average deviation of less than 10%. Also, a parametric study is done regarding the oxidizer and fuel inlet temperatures and the oxidizer to fuel mass ratio (O/F ratio). Using the CFD model, future work will aim on improving the engine’s performance by focusing on the design influence of the post combustion chamber and nozzle.

OriginalspracheEnglisch
TitelAIAA Propulsion and Energy 2020 Forum
Herausgeber (Verlag)American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Inc, AIAA
Seiten1-18
Seitenumfang18
ISBN (Print)9781624106026
DOIs
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - 2020
VeranstaltungAIAA Propulsion and Energy 2020 Forum - Virtual, Online
Dauer: 24 Aug. 202028 Aug. 2020

Publikationsreihe

NameAIAA Propulsion and Energy 2020 Forum

Konferenz

KonferenzAIAA Propulsion and Energy 2020 Forum
OrtVirtual, Online
Zeitraum24/08/2028/08/20

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