| This study investigates boundary-layer cooling of rocket engine combustion chambers by means of numerical modeling. Using computational fluid dynamic methods to model the reacting viscous flow field in rocket combustion chambers, various propellant combinations and chamber geometries are analyzed. Specific propellants are hydrogen-oxygen and methane-oxygen mixtures. Chamber geometries used are the Space Shuttle Main Engine, 5.7 diameter research chamber, and the Apollo/Saturn F-1. Several modifications to existing codes are required to accommodate proposed boundary-layer cooling using fuel as the boundary fluid.; This work discusses the mathematical basis for the numerical scheme used and the chemistry models needed to solve the reacting flow field, including specifically the field's boundary layer. Variables considered in the flow field are temperature, pressure, Mach number, species concentration, velocity, density, acoustic velocity, and heat transfer.; Using results obtained in the study, a high pressure (Pc > 3000 psi) methane fueled rocket engine is proposed. Included is an analytical estimate of how thrust can be increased, with no loss of performance due to the active fuelfed boundary layer. The author concludes that numerical methods can effectively model the flow processes in boundary-layer cooled combustion chambers, giving designers the requisite information for analyzing rocket engines. |
