Numerical Simulation of Fluidic Thrust-Vectoring

Abstract

The paper focuses on a computational method for the investigation of Fluidic Thrust Vectoring (FTV). Thrust vectoring in symmetric nozzles is obtained by secondary flow injections that cause local flow separations, asymmetric pressure distributions and, therefore, the vectoring of the primary jet thrust. The methodology proposed here can be applied for studying numerically most of the strategies for fluidic thrust vectoring, as shock-vector control, sonic-plane skewing and the counterflow method. The computational technique is based on a well-assessed mathematical model. The flow governing equations are solved according to a finite volume discretization technique of the compressible RANS equations coupled with the Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model. Second order accuracy in space and time is achieved using an Essentially Non Oscillatory scheme. For validation purposes, the proposed numerical tool is used for the simulation of thrust vectoring based on FTV strategies as the shock vector control and the dual-throat nozzle concept, with a special attention to the latter case. Nozzle performances and thrust vector angles are computed for a wide range of nozzle pressure ratios and secondary flow injection rates. The numerical results obtained are compared with the experimental data available in the open literature.