Numerical research on the performance of solid fuel rocket scramjet combustor

Abstract

Combustion efficiency is the main factor affecting the performance of solid fuel rocket scramjet. To reveal the influence of combustor configuration on performance and further improve combustion efficiency, the influence of the width-height ratio of the rectangle-section combustor on the performance of solid fuel rocket scramjet is investigated numerically in this article. Three-dimensional compressible Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations coupled with shear stress transport k– ω turbulence model are employed to simulate the aerodynamics. The Euler–Lagrange approach is used to calculate the multiphase flow. Combustion of carbon particles is modeled by the improved Moving Flame Front model. Accuracy of the present numerical model is validated by the experimental data of a rectangle-section combustor from literature. Results show that as the width-height ratio increases, the combustion efficiency increases first and then decreases. The influence of cavity and its position on the performance are also investigated. Results show that cavity can significantly improve combustion efficiency. The effect of cavity position on performance is related to the distribution of particles.