CFD Study of Base Drag of the Grot Rocket

• Autorzy: Sahbon Nezar , Michałów Maciej , Murpani Siddharth , Żurawka Paulina , Kaczmarek Kacper

Identyfikatory

DOI

10.2478/tar-2023-0007

• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

Propulsion system operation is known to affect the aerodynamic characteristics of rockets. Specifically, the net axial force acting on a rocket in flight cannot be precisely obtained by combining the static thrust with drag values computed for a rocket with an inactive motor. One of the main reasons for this is the influence of motor operation on pressure at the base of the rocket. The aim of this paper is to investigate the effect of motor operation on the aerodynamic parameters of the Grot sounding rocket developed by the Students’ Space Association, Warsaw University of Technology. The study consists of two series of axisymmetrical computational fluid dynamic simulations of flow around the rocket - one with the motor being non-operational and the other with active thrust. In the post-processing phase, the axial force acting on various components of the rocket is computed, with an emphasis on the base and nozzle exit sections. Quantitative and qualitative differences between the cases with and without active thrust are highlighted and discussed. The obtained results are compared to a semi-empirical model found in the literature. Finally, a semi-empirical base drag model is proposed for use in Grot flight simulation.

Słowa kluczowe

EN

base drag; computational fluid dynamics; rocket aerodynamics; sounding rockets; solid rocket propulsion

• Wydawca: Wydawnictwa Naukowe Sieci Badawczej Łukasiewicz - Instytutu Lotnictwa
• Czasopismo: Transactions on Aerospace Research
• Rocznik: 2023
• Tom: Nr 2 (271)
• Strony: 1--16
• Opis fizyczny: Bibliogr. 12 poz., rys., tab., wzory

Twórcy

autor

Sahbon Nezar

• Student’s Space Association, Faculty of Power and Aeronautical Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Nowowiejska 24, 00-665 Warsaw, Poland

• https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7298-4219

autor

Michałów Maciej

• ISAE-SUPAERO, University of Toulouse, 10 Av. Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France

• https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0166-6122

autor

Murpani Siddharth

• Student’s Space Association, Faculty of Power and Aeronautical Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Nowowiejska 24, 00-665 Warsaw, Poland

• https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3193-1388

autor

Żurawka Paulina

• Student’s Space Association, Faculty of Power and Aeronautical Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Nowowiejska 24, 00-665 Warsaw, Poland

• https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4059-7385

autor

Kaczmarek Kacper

• Student’s Space Association, Faculty of Power and Aeronautical Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Nowowiejska 24, 00-665 Warsaw, Poland

• https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9708-5298

Bibliografia

• [1] Gregorek, G.M. “Aerodynamic Drag of Model Rockets (TR-11).” Estes Industries, R&D 359-71. Penrose, Colorado, USA, 1970.
• [2] Moore, F.G., Hymer, T.C. and Wilcox, J.W. “Improved Empirical Model for Base Drag Prediction on Missile Configurations Based on New Wind Tunnel Data.” Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division, AD-A258 753. Hampton, Virginia, USA, 1992.
• [3] Brazzel, C.E. and Henerson, J.H. “A Correlation of the Base Drag of Bodies-of-Revolution with a Jet Exhausting Through the Base.” Army Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, AD0634662. 1966.
• [4] Huffman, M. “Sounding Rocket Redesign and Optimization for Payload Expansion and in Flight Telemetry Transmittal.”, MSc thesis, University of Central Florida. Orlando, Florida, USA, 2005.
• [5] Al-Obaidi, A.S.M. “Implementation of Semi-Empirical Models to Enhance the Accuracy of Panel Methods for Drag Prediction at Supersonic Speeds.” IIUM Engineering Journal Vol. 12 No. 1 (2011): pp. 45-58.
• [6] Kumar, V.S. “Estimation of Base Drag on Supersonic Cruise Missile.” International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology Vol. 3 No. 1 (2016): pp. 662-665.
• [7] Sutton, G.P. and Biblarz, Oscar. Rocket Propulsion Elements. 9th edn. John Wiley & Sons, Inc Hoboken, New Jersey, USA, 2016.
• [8] Gordon, S. and McBride, B.J. Computer Program for Calculation of Complex Chemical Equilibrium Compositions and Applications. 1st edn. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Office of Management, Scientific and Technical Information Program, Springfield, Virginia, USA, 1994.
• [9] Çengel, Y.A. and Cimbala, J.M. Fluid Mechanics: Fundamentals and Applications. 3rd edn. McGraw Hill, New york, New York, USA, 2014.
• [10] López, D., Domínguez, D. and Gonzalo, J. “Impact of Turbulence Modelling on External Supersonic Flow Field Simulations in Rocket Aerodynamics.” International Journal of Computational Fluid Dynamics Vol. 27 No. 8-10 (2013): pp. 332-341.
• [11] Aytaç, Z. and Aktas, F. "Utilization of CFD for the Aerodynamic Analysis of a Subsonic Rocket.” Politeknik Dergisi Vol. 23 No. 3 (2020): pp. 879-887.
• [12] Ansys, Inc. ANSYS Fluent User’s Guide, Release 17. 2. 2016

Uwagi

1. The authors would like to thank MESco Sp. z.o.o. and ANSYS Inc. for providing Ansys® Academic Mechanical and CFD licence. In addition, we would like to thank Mateusz Sochacki, M.Sc.Eng., from the Division of Automation and Aerospace Systems, Faculty of Power and Aeronautical Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, for valuable remarks, which helped to improve this paper. This research was supported by a French Government Scholarship.

2. Opracowanie rekordu ze środków MNiSW, umowa nr SONP/SP/546092/2022 w ramach programu "Społeczna odpowiedzialność nauki" - moduł: Popularyzacja nauki i promocja sportu (2024).