CFD analysis of transcritical methane in rocket engine cooling channels

Abstract The knowledge of the flow behavior inside cooling channels is of great importance to improve design and performance of regeneratively cooled rocket engines. The modeling of the coolant flow is a challenging task because of its particular features, such as the high wall temperature gradient, the high Reynolds number and the three-dimensional geometry of the passages. In case of methane as coolant, a further complication is the transcritical operating condition of the fluid. In this thermodynamic regime large changes of the fluid properties can greatly influence the coolant flow-field and the heat transfer. Numerical simulations of transcritical methane flow-field in asymmetrically heated rectangular channel with high aspect ratio and strong wall temperature differences are carried out by a suitable CFD solver. Results are discussed in detail and compared with supercritical methane flow-fields. Finally the aspect ratio effect on methane flow is analyzed by comparison of four different rectangular cooling channel geometries with fixed hydraulic diameter and coolant flows with the same mass flow-rate per unit area. Emphasis is given to the comparison of fluid cooling performance and pressure loss.

[1]  Joseph Kestin,et al.  Thermophysical properties of fluid D2O , 1984 .

[2]  R. J. Quentmeyer.  Experimental fatigue life investigation of cylindrical thrust chambers , 1977 .

[3]  Julie A. Carlile,et al.  An experimental investigation of high-aspect-ratio cooling passages , 1992 .

[4]  J. Ely,et al.  Thermophysical Properties of Fluids. II. Methane, Ethane, Propane, Isobutane, and Normal Butane , 1987 .

[5]  M. Popp,et al.  Numerical analysis of high aspect ratio cooling passage flow and heat transfer , 1993 .

[6]  R. T. Cook.  Methane heat transfer investigation , 1984 .

[7]  John C. Melcher,et al.  Liquid Oxygen/Liquid Methane Test Results of the RS-18 Lunar Ascent Engine at Simulated Altitude Conditions at NASA White Sands Test Facility , 2009 .

[8]  Francesco Nasuti,et al.  Numerical Analysis of Deterioration in Heat Transfer to Near-Critical Rocket Propellants , 2010 .

[9]  P. Spalart.  A One-Equation Turbulence Model for Aerodynamic Flows , 1992 .

[10]  M. Onofri,et al.  Flow Analysis of Transcritical Methane in Rectangular Cooling Channels , 2008 .

[11]  F. Nasuti,et al.  Analysis of Curved-Cooling-Channel Flow and Heat Transfer in Rocket Engines , 2011 .

[12]  Igor Pioro,et al.  Heat transfer to supercritical fluids flowing in channels—empirical correlations (survey) , 2004 .

[13]  Corey D. Brown,et al.  Conceptual Investigations for a Methane -Fueled Expander Rocket Engine , 2004 .

[14]  Oleg Sindiy,et al.  Integrated Modeling and Analysis for a LOX/Methane Expander Cycle Engine: Focusing on Regenerative Cooling Jacket Design , 2006 .

[15]  Keming Liang,et al.  Investigation of Heat Transfer and Coking Characteristics of Hydrocarbon Fuels , 1998 .

[16]  Renato Paciorri,et al.  Numerical Analysis of Three-Dimensional Flow of Supercritical Fluid in Asymmetrically Heated Channels , 2009 .

[17]  E. J. Szetela,et al.  Deposit formation and heat-transfer characteristics of hydrocarbon rocket fuels , 1985 .

[18]  Hua Meng,et al.  Numerical Studies of Supercritical Turbulent Convective Heat Transfer of Cryogenic-Propellant Methane , 2010 .

[19]  Sébastien Candel,et al.  Transcritical oxygen/transcritical or supercritical methane combustion , 2005 .

[20]  Eric A. Hurlbert,et al.  Sea-Level Flight Demonstration and Altitude Characterization of a LO2/LCH4 Based Accent Propulsion Lander , 2009 .

[21]  T. Zhao,et al.  Measurements of Heat Transfer Coefficients From Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Flowing in Horizontal Mini/Micro Channels , 2002 .

[22]  F. Nasuti,et al.  Investigation of transcritical methane flow and heat transfer in curved cooling channels , 2009 .

[23]  M. Wadel.  Comparison of High Aspect Ratio Cooling Channel Designs for a Rocket Combustion Chamber with Development of an Optimized Design , 1997 .

[24]  H. Schlichting.  Boundary Layer Theory , 1955 .