Numerical Simulation of Liquid Rocket Engine Thrust Chamber Regenerative Cooling

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to develop and compare multidisciplinary, multidimensional, numerical methodologies to predict the hot-gas-side and coolant-side heat transfer in regeneratively-cooled rocket engine thrust chamber. The first methodology used empirical equations to simulate the hot-gas convective and radiative heat transfer; the second methodology used computational fluid dynamics to simulate the hot-gas convective and radiative heat transfer; heat transfer in the coolant and in the cooling channel was solved in a conjugate manner for the two methodologies. Systematic parametric studies on effects of combustion chemistry, radiation coupling, and grid refinement were performed and assessed. The methodologies were assessed by existing data from Arnold Engineering Development Center high-enthalpy nozzle tests and hot-firing test of a LO 2 -LH 2 thrust chamber. Results indicate that the second methodology with finite-rate chemistry employed in this study can be an effective method for predicting the flow and heat transfer in regeneratively-cooled thrust chamber, but needs further modifications.