Fluid Dynamics of Thrust Vectorable Submerged Nozzle

Abstract

A numerical simulation of the gas-dynamic processes in the thrust vectorable nozzle of the solid rocket motor is considered. Construction of a geometric model and a generation of computational mesh, and reconstruction of model and mesh at each time step are discussed. Calculations of the flowfield of combustion products in the pre-nozzle chamber and nozzle block are carried out for various angles of nozzle rotation. The distributions of the gas dynamic quantities in the pre-nozzle volume corresponding to the outflow of the combustion products from the cylindrical channel and star-shaped channel are compared, as well as the solutions of the problem obtained with quasi-stationary and unsteady formulations. The effects of the channel shape on the distribution of flow quantities and formation of a vortical flow structure in the nozzle block are discussed.

Keywords

• solid rocket motor
• thrust
• vectorable nozzle
• submerged nozzle
• numerical simulation
• vortical structure