Numerical analysis of LOx-BioLPG combustion in high-pressure liquid rocket engine propulsion system

Abstract

The present work numerically investigates the steady state LOx-BioLPG combustion in a high-pressure liquid rocket engine propulsion system, based on the RANS approach using Eulerian single-phase thermo-chemical modeling with Peng-Robinson equation of state. The study primarily focuses on the less carbon emission and the economical range of operation for various equivalence ratios. The critical equivalence ratio (Φ) is predicted to be 0.62, below which the combustion does not initiate. The maximum CO emission in combustion is found at Φ = 2.32, and the maximum specific impulse (Isp) is obtained 327.92 at Φ = 1.50. However, for clean burning of the fuel and less carbon footprint, lean mixture combustion is desirable. The CO emission for Φ = 1.50 is 41%, which is considerably a higher carbon emission percentage for this combustion process. On the other hand, the lean mixture at Φ = 0.80 has a CO emission of 14.7% at the nozzle outlet which is relatively small. The developed power is 57.73 MW with an Isp of 310.96 at Φ = 0.80 which is close to the Isp obtained for Φ = 1.50. Thus, for eco-friendly clean burring, combustion of LOx-BioLPG fuel for Φ = 0.80 is found to be the best in this analysis.

Keywords

• LOx
• BioLPG
• Rocket engine
• Combustion
• CFD