Highly resolved numerical simulation of combustion downstream of a rocket engine igniter

Abstract

We study ignition processes in the turbulent reactive flow established downstream of highly under-expanded coflowing jets. The corresponding configuration is typical of a rocket engine igniter, and to the best knowledge of the authors, this study is the first that documents highly resolved numerical simulations of such a reactive flowfield. Considering the discharge of axisymmetric coaxial under-expanded jets, various morphologies are expected, depending on the value of the nozzle pressure ratio, a key parameter used to classify them. The present computations are conducted with a value of this ratio set to fifteen. The simulations are performed with the massively parallel CREAMS solver on a grid featuring approximately 440,000,000 computational nodes. In the main zone of interest, the level of spatial resolution is D/74, with D the central inlet stream diameter. The computational results reveal the complex topology of the compressible flowfield. The obtained results also bring new and useful insights into the development of ignition processes. In particular, ignition is found to take place rather far downstream of the shock barrel, a conclusion that contrasts with early computational studies conducted within the unsteady RANS computational framework. Consideration of detailed chemistry confirms the essential role of hydroperoxyl radicals, while the analysis of the Takeno index reveals the predominance of a non-premixed combustion mode.