Computational Study of Turbulence in a Subscale Solid Rocket Motor

‡Effects of turbulence on instabilities in solid rocket motors are investigated by numerical computations. Comparisons with experimental data in a subscale solid motor show that CFD without turbulence modeling fails to correctly predict unsteady behavior and largely overestimates experimental pressure oscillations. Two-dimensional URANS modeling substantially improves prediction and reveals for this configuration a dominant role of turbulence which hinders vortex shedding, thus altering its coupling with chamber acoustics. Effects of turbulence are enhanced by the presence of a large central cavity. The influence of numerically prescribed level of injected turbulence at the propellant surface is undertaken and does show a strong impact on pressure oscillation levels. Advanced turbulence modeling is also addressed with a full 3D Large Eddy Simulation (LES) which enables an insight into the effects of three-dimensional structures on instability level.

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