URANS Analysis of a Launch Vehicle Aero-Acoustic Environment

Abstract

Predicting and mitigating acoustic levels become critical because of the harsh acoustic environment during space vehicle lift-off. This paper aimed to study the aero-acoustic environment during a rocket lift-off. The sound propagation within a launch event was studied using dedicated computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The resolution of all the phenomena that occur is unfeasible. We discuss the turbulence simplification and propose a feasible simulation through an unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (URANS) model. The results were validated with experimental data showing a good correlation near the fairing surface and an improvable accuracy in the far field. To assess noise generation, the main shock waves were identified, and the evolution of the generated sound pressure was assessed. Moreover, vertical directivity was revealed by data analysis of the pressure field surrounding the fairing.