PhD defense - A. Ruiz

Unsteady Numerical Simulations of Transcritical Turbulent Combustion in Liquid Rocket Engines

Delivered by Institut Nationale Polytechnique de Toulouse
Speciality: Energetic and transfer

February 9, 2012 - CERFACS

Unsteady Numerical Simulations of Transcritical Turbulent Combustion in Liquid Rocket Engines Liquid Rocket Engines are one of the propulsive organs of space launchers. In the past fifty years, most design parameters of the combustion chamber of Liquid Rocket Engines (LREs) have been adjusted without a detailed understanding of combustion phenomena inside the combustion chamber, because of both limited experimental diagnostics and numerical capabilities. The objective of the present thesis work is to conduct high-fidelity unsteady numerical simulations of transcritical reacting flows, in order to improve the understanding of flame dynamics in LRE, and eventually provide guidelines for their improvement. First, a Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) study of turbulent mixing and combustion in the anchoring region of a transcritical flame to the lip of a LRE, is conducted. The flame stabilization mechanisms are identified and various combustion modes are identified. In the second part of the talk, Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) is used to study more realistic configurations. Notably, the effects of an important parameter for the design of coaxial injectors: the recess of the oxygen tube from the hydrogen tube, will be studied.

S. Candel	EM2C Ecole Centrale de Paris, Chatenay Malabry	Referee
P. Chassaing	ISAE, Toulouse	Referee
J. Réveillon	University of Rouen	Member
F. Dupoirieux	ONERA, Châtillon	Member
D. Saucereau	SNECMA, Vernon	Member
M. Theron	CNES, Evreux	Member
B. Cuenot	CERFACS	Advisor

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