Turbulence Modeling Effects on Fuel Regression Rate in Hybrid Rocket Numerical Simulations

Abstract

A new fuel regression model, based on the mass/energy balance at the fuel surface, is implemented in the computational fluid dynamics software CEDRE. The modeling aims at generalizing a practical use of the fuel regression model to improve, by means of numerical simulations, the knowledge about aerothermochemical phenomena in hybrid rocket engines. The present study focuses on the analysis of the turbulent boundary layer with wall blowing, modeled by with the shear stress transport formulation, to assess the impact of a turbulence model wall correction on the fuel regression. A discussion about the matching between numerical simulations and experimental data from hydrogen peroxide/high-density polyethylene hybrid rocket engine tests in an axial injection configuration for a pressure range of 1.1–3.6 MPa is reported to assess the improvement in the fuel regression and pressure reproduction provided by the turbulence wall correction.