NUMERICAL INVESTIGATION OF POST-COMBUSTION IN THE REACTING PLUME OF AN EXPERIMENTAL SOLID ROCKET MOTOR

Abstract

Post-combustion in the reacting plume of a typical solid rocket motor (SRM) is characterized by the emission of high-temperature gases including pollutants such as hydrochloric acid and chlorine together with particles of alumina associated with the combustion of aluminum impregnated in the original propellant. In this paper, methods of modeling the reacting plume of an experimental rocket engine, proposed by AVIO S.p.A., are studied, where the post-combustion location and temperature estimates are of particular interest. The chemical kinetics have been simulated using the laminar finite rate (LFR) and eddy dissipation concept (EDC) models and a comparison of results for both chemical kinetic models with alumina particles is presented, together with results for a non-reacting plume and predictions from the chemical equilibrium analysis (CEA) program. The results indicate the presence of a post-combustion region downstream of the nozzle exit where temperatures of around 3000 K have been achieved. This paper is published with the permission of the authors granted to 3AF - Association Aéronautique et Astronautique de France (www.3AF.fr) organizer of the Space Propulsion International Conference.