Aèrokosmičeskij Naučnyj Žurnal (Jan 2015)
Numerical Study of the Working Process in the Reducing Gas Generator of the Upper Stage Oxygen - Methane Engine
Abstract
This article deals with the problems of creating a reducing gas generator of the liquid rocket engine (LRE) of upper stage using advanced fuel components, namely oxygen + liquid natural gas. Relevance of the work is justified by the need to create and develop of environmentally friendly missile systems for space applications using methane-based fuel (liquid natural gas). As compared to the currently used unsymmetrical dimethyl-hydrazine and kerosene, this fuel is environmentally safe, passive to corrosion, has better cooling properties and high energy characteristics in the re-generatively cooled chambers, as well as is advantageous for LRE of multiple start and use.The purpose of this work is a mathematical modeling, calculation of the working process efficiency, as well as study of gas-dynamic structure of the flow in the gas generator flow path. The object of study is the upper stage LRE gas generator, which uses the reducing scheme on the liquid propellants: oxygen + liquid methane. Research methods are based on numerical simulation.Computational studies allowed us to receive the velocity, temperatures, and concentrations of reactants and combustion products in the longitudinal section of gas generator. Analysis of the gas-dynamic structure of flow shows a complete equalization of the velocity field by 2/3 of the gas generator length. Thus, the same distance is not enough to equalize the temperature distribution of the gasification products and their concentrations in radius. Increasing the total excess oxidant ratio from 0.15 to 0.25 leads to a greater spread of the parameters at the exit of the gas generator by ~ 13 ÷ 17%. As a recommendation to reduce the size of the working area, is proposed a dual-zone gas generator-mixing scheme with fuel separately supplied to the first and second zones.
