Analysis for design optimization of high thrust liquid engine hot test facility

Abstract

A high thrust liquid oxygen-kerosene fuelled engine is being developed for future launch vehicle applications. Comprehensive hot testing of engine at sea level conditions is required for qualification and acceptance of flight engine and launch vehicle stage. The engine and stage will be tested in a specialized rocket engine and stage hot test facility which deflects the flame safely to avoid any hazard to engine and adjoining mechanical structures. The facility is equipped with water jets to sufficiently cool the rocket plume before impinging on deflector pit walls. The high temperature and high-pressure rocket exhaust jet is cooled with sufficient quantity of water to maintain the impingement wall temperature within safe working limits. In this study, a multi-phase computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methodology is developed for design of water-cooling jet configuration of deflector facility. Multi-phase model validation study using full phase treatment and droplet assumption for water injection is performed prior to water jet optimization analysis of high thrust LOX-kerosene test facility. Validation studies based on simulation and analysis of existing test stand is developed. A discrete particle (DPM) based two phase methodology is chosen to model water injection in RANS framework. The optimum cooling configuration is determined iteratively through numerous multi-phase simulations. The multi-phase analysis showed ineffectiveness of initial water injection scheme which results in facility wall temperature above safe limit. A multi-plane water injection scheme is devised there on with provision of water injection at two axial locations from the nozzle exit. A detailed parametric multi-phase analysis is carried out for design optimization of multi-plane water injection scheme and to determine thermal condition of the test facility. Analysis showed effective rocket plume cooling and lower facility wall temperature with two plane water injection schemes in comparison to initial single plane design configuration. The study highlights the role of CFD based methodology to formulate an engineering solution for design optimization of LOX-kerosene engine hot test facility. • Liquid Rocket Engine. • Hot test facility. • Facility cooling design. • Multi-phase methodology. • Multi-plane injection.