Numerical investigation of transient side-loads in the start-up process of a rocket nozzle

Abstract

A numerical investigation of transient side-loads in axisymmetric over-expanded thrust optimized contour nozzles is presented. These nozzles experience side-loads during start-up and shut-down operations because of flow separation at the nozzle walls. Two types of flow separations, FSS and RSS shock structures, also occur. A two-dimension numerical simulation was carried out over axisymmetric TOC nozzles to validate the present results and investigate oscillatory flow characteristics for start-up processes. Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes equations are numerically solved using a fully implicit finite volume scheme. Governing equations are solved via the coupled implicit scheme. The Reynolds Stress turbulence model is selected for this work. It was found that the present computed pressure at the nozzle walls closely matched the experimental data. The phenomenon of hysteresis was also observed between these two shock structures. The transition from an FSS to RSS pattern during the start-up process showed maximum nozzle wall pressure and fluctuations in shear stress values. Oscillatory pressure was observed on the nozzle walls with high pressure ratio. The present results show that the magnitude of nozzle wall pressure variation is high for the phenomenon of oscillation.