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Procedia Engineering 104 (2015) 29 – 35

Scientific and Technological Experiments on Automatic Space Vehicles and Small Satellites

Design of Rocket Engine for Spacecraft Using CFD-Modeling

Vasiliy Zubanova, , Vitaliy Egorycheva, Leonid Shabliya*
a
Samara State Aerospace University, 34, Moskovskoye Shosse, Samara, Russia, 443086

Abstract

This paper describes the designing process of rocket engine with thrust 25N for system of orientation and starting
of spacecraft instead the prototype with burnout chamber defect that was not fixed during the development to
completely exclude the burnout possibility. The new version of the engine has been designed and additional research
with CFD-modeling has been performed to completely exclude burnout possibility.
©©2015
2014 The
The Authors.
Authors. Published
Published by Elsevier
by Elsevier Ltd.
Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
Peer-review under responsibility of organizing committee of the Scientific and Technological Experiments on Automatic Space
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of organizing committee of the Scientific and Technological Experiments on Automatic Space
Vehicles and Small Satellites (SPEXP2014).
Vehicles and Small Satellites (SPEXP2014)

Keywords: esign of rocket engine; chamber burnout; hydrogen; CFD; calculation model.

1. Introduction

Due to the constant tightening of the international requirements of ecology and safety of space rocketry the
creation of rocket engines using ecologically fuels, such as oxygen and hydrogen, is actual.
Creation of RE with small thrust for system of orientation and starting of spacecraft is associated with a large
amount of development tests. The amount of expensive development tests using modern Computational Fluid
Dynamic (CFD) modeling of engine workflows can be reduced [1, 2].
This paper describes designing process of rocket engine with thrust 25 N for starting and orientation spacecraft
system instead of prototype with chamber burnout defect which was not fixed during the development tests. The new
version of the engine was designed with the reduced pressure in the chamber in comparison with prototype. Experts

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +7-846-267-45-86.

E-mail address: waskes91@gmail.com

1877-7058 © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of organizing committee of the Scientific and Technological Experiments on Automatic Space Vehicles and Small Satellites
(SPEXP2014)
doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2015.04.093
30 Vasiliy Zubanov et al. / Procedia Engineering 104 (2015) 29 – 35

predict that pressure decreasing results in burnout absence. However, additional researches of chamber burnout
reasons with CFD-modeling of workflow were performed to completely exclude this possibility.

2. CFD-Modeling

The geometric model of the internal tract of engine was designed in SolidWorks. The full-circle mesh model of
engine duct was performed with ANSYS Meshing. Mesh model consists of 6 mln hexagonal cells additionally
shredded in critical section and atomizers with Element Quality more than 0,34 and Skewness less than 0,69, which
satisfies the requirements a lot of CFD-solvers [3].
CFD-modeling of flow in the mixing head of RE, mixing process of the fuel components, combustion and
supersonic flow the chamber was performed in the program ANSYS CFX. There are input data for modeling:
x chemical kinetics - the set of combustion reactions consists of 24 reactions [4, 5, 6] with corresponding rate
coefficients [7, 8];
x properties of chemical reactants, products and intermediate components of oxygen-hydrogen combustion
mechanism (Н, Н2, О, О2, ОН, Н2О, НО2, Н2О2) were taken from the ANSYS CFX library;
x boundary conditions were taken from the experiment that detects prototype camera burnout;
x inlet turbulence intensity 10%;
x processes are steady-state;
x turbulence model is k-ω[9];
x chamber walls are non-reactive and adiabatic;
x diffusion combustion model is Eddy Dissipation Model (EDM), mixing speed of the fuel components was
limited;
x ignition was simulated by high temperature at the precombustion chamber wall (3000 K).
The chemical kinetics of CFD-model are presented in Table 1. The reaction rate coefficient obeys the Arrhenius
law (1):

ª º
«§¨ 3 · m 1 »
§ E· ¸
¨ ¸ «¨ cm 1» (1),
k A ˜ T n ˜ exp ¨  ¸, «¨
¸ ˜ »
¨ T¸ ¸
© ¹ «¨ mol ¸ s»
«© ¹ »
¬ ¼

where A is the pre-exponential factor, T is the temperature, E is the activation energy, n is the temperature
exponent, m is reaction order. The parameters of the equation are given in the Table 1. Reverse reactions number are
signed by «minus» before reaction number.
Convergence of the solution was estimated by mathematical residuals that needs to be minimal, and the integral
parameters of the RE that needs to be constant for fully convereged solution, namely:
x mass flow (Fig. 1);
x specific impulse (in vacuum) and the averaged axial velocity at the nozzle;
x averaged temperature at the critical section;
x thrust of RE (in vacuum).
The adequacy of the model is confirmed by the following criteria:
x the resulting mass fraction of the main reaction product (water vapor) at the critical section differs from the
ideal to 0.9% and at the nozzle – less than 0.3%;
x the specific impulse (in vacuum) corresponds to an ideal with accuracy of 1.5%;
x Fig. 2 shows an area of high wall temperature visualized by CFD-model. Shape, size and positions of high
temperature correspond with the burnout place from the experiments.
 Vasiliy Zubanov et al. / Procedia Engineering 104 (2015) 29 – 35 31

Table 1. The reactions of chemical kinetics of CFD-model.

Temperature Pre-exponential Temperature Activation energy,

№ Reaction Catalyst
range T, 103 K factor, A exponent, n E, kJ / mol
1 H + HO2 Æ OH + OH 0.3-1.0 1.5e+14 0 4.2
2 H + HO2 Æ H2 + O2 0.3-1.0 2.5e+13 0 2.9
3 H + HO2 Æ H2O + O 0.8 3.0e+13 0 0
4 H + O2 Æ HO2 Н2 0.3-2.5 2.0e+18 -0.8 0
5 H2 + O2 Æ OH + OH 0.3-2.5 4.2e+12 0 39
6 HO2 + HO2 Æ H2O2 + O2 0.3-1.2 2.0e+12 0 0
7 O + H2 Æ H + OH 0.3-2.5 1.5e+7 2 31.6
8 O + H2O2 Æ OH + HO2 0.3-1.0 2.8e+13 0 26.8
9 O + HO2 Æ OH + O2 0.3-1.0 2.0e+13 0 0
10 OH + H2O2 Æ H2O + HO2 0.3-1.0 7.0e+12 0 6
11 OH + HO2 Æ H2O + O2 0.3-2.0 2.0e+13 0 0
12 H + O2 Æ OH + O 0.3-2.5 1.2e+17 -0.91 69.1
-12 H + O2 Å OH + O 0.3-2.5 1.8e+13 0 0
13 OH + H2 Æ H2O + H 0.3-2.5 1.0e+8 1.6 13.8
-13 OH + H2 Å H2O + H 0.3-2.5 4.6e+8 1.6 77.7
14 OH + OH Æ H2O + O 0.3-2.5 1.5e+9 1.14 0
-14 OH + OH Å H2O + O 0.3-2.5 1.5e+10 1.14 72.2
15 H + H Æ H2 Н2 0.1-5.0 9.7e+16 -0.6 0
-15 H + H Å H2 Н2 2.5-8.0 8.8e+14 0 402
16 H + OH Æ H2O Н2О 1.0-3.0 1.4e+23 -2 0
-16 H + OH Å H2O Н2О 2.0-5.0 1.6e+17 0 478
17 H + H2O2 Æ H2 + HO2 0.3-0.8 1.7e+12 0 15.7
-17 H + H2O2 Å H2 + HO2 0.3-0.8 7.3e+11 0 78.1
18 H + H2O2 Æ H2O + OH 0.3-1.0 1.0e+13 0 15

The above errors are apparently associated with a large unevenness in the combustion chamber, which was not
considered in the determination of the ideal impulse. This unevenness was the main reason of burnout in the
experimental engine.
Thus, the created CFD-model adequately reflects the gas-dynamic and combustion processes of RE. It should be
noted that CFD-model does not take into account losses of incomplete combustion that overstates the value of the
combustion products temperature in comparison with experiment. It goes to the reserve of heat resistance when
assessing the performance. Next, this CFD-model was subsequently used for research of several designs of the RE
chamber.
32 Vasiliy Zubanov et al. / Procedia Engineering 104 (2015) 29 – 35

Fig. 1. Convergence of the solution (mass flow vs. iterations). Fig. 2. Distribution of temperature on the chamber wall.

3. Design of new engine

The adequate model allows to move to the next step, namely the designing a new rocket engine. The new rocket
engine was designed with the reduced pressure in the chamber in comparison with prototype that according by
experts to provide burnout absence. Basic input data for design project of new engine are presented in Table 2. The
new rocket engine was designed by conventional methods [10-14] and calculation was performed in ANSYS CFX.
Additional CFD-research of this engine has been performed using the above adequate model to avoid the possible
problems with burnout due to flow unevenness in chamber.

Table 2. Basic input data for design project of new engine.

Propellants Gaseous oxygen and hydrogen

Engine thrust in vacuum, PV 25 N ± 0,7 N
Specific impulse in vacuum, IS.V 4470 m/s ± 20 m/s
The pressure in the combustion chamber, pК 0,5 MPa
The mass ratio of the components, Km 4,9
The intensity of turbulence of fuel at the inlet of the mixing head 10%
Pressure at the nozzle outlet, pа 283 Pa

The first attempt shows (see Fig. 3) that the fuel components are fully reacted after 1/3 of length of the cylindrical
part of the combustion chamber. Further wall temperature is above 3500 K, which undoubtedly will lead to burnout.
CFD-modeling of more than 50 variants of the chamber with various activities was conducted to create workable
variant. Activities include the following:
1. Changing the axial length of the cylindrical part and shape of subcritical part of nozzle.
2. Prevention of the fuel wall layer premature blur.
3. Reducing uneven flow in the chamber.
4. Variation of the mixing scheme.
Following results were obtained for reducing of the temperature at the subcritical nozzle:
x reducing the axial length of the chamber does not exclude high temperature in subcritical part of the nozzle;
x prevention of coaxial swirling fuel wall layer premature blur can be performed by protection screen (Fig. 4, Pos.
1), but only for a camera with a long cylindrical part. Camera with normal cylindrical part has a great flow
unevenness induced by prechamber ignition fluctuations, that do not had time to dissipate;
 Vasiliy Zubanov et al. / Procedia Engineering 104 (2015) 29 – 35 33

x in order to protect the walls layer jets of hydrogen from premature blur the screen was placed. Screen copes this
task,. In chamber with normal length of chamber there was a great unevenness, which is a continuation after the
prechamber ignition;
x changing the entering angle of critical section from 60 ° to 90 ° reduces the temperature of walls at subcritical
part of nozzle by 200 K.
The replacement of the radial atomizers from pre-chamber ignition system by centrifugal ones has reduced the
unevenness after pre-chamber, but still not enough. Next, the following steps were performed:
x cylindrical spout (Fig. 4, Pos. 2) was added;
x diameter of oxidant atomizers was increased;
x redistributive grille [15] in the collector of oxidant was placed (Fig. 4, Pos. 3).
Note these events slightly have reduced the unevenness by themselves, and together have given significant effect.
Also attempts to make redistributing collector as snail swirler, but due to the technological complexity of making
these proposals have not been developed.

Fig. 3. Distribution of temperature at the longitudinal section Fig. 4. Distribution of temperature at the longitudinal section of new engine
of new engine base variant. with additional fuel belt with centrifugal atomizers: 1 – screen, 2 – spout,
3 - redistributive grille.

Additional fuel belt was added for stabilization the combustion process away from the walls of the cylindrical
part of the chamber in the following versions:
1) between the main belts of fuels with inkjet or centrifugal atomizers (Fig. 4);
2) over the main belts of fuels with centrifugal atomizers (Fig. 5).
CFD-modeling of these mixing schemes shows that stabilization of combustion is observed with any scheme, but
in the first mixing scheme there was high temperature of the screen, which could leads to its burnout. And on the
second scheme stabilization of combustion was achieved with the lowest of calorific intensity at chamber interior
wall of the engine. The last scheme was adopted to elaboration of engine design.
The issues of layout inlets of fuel and oxidant were investigated during the design elaboration. CFD-simulations
shows that the characteristics of the engine at steady state does not depend on the position of the inlets. Inlets were
placed at the angle of 45 degreess to each other, taking into account the layout.
Thus, the best form of engine was determined with following elements:
x the scheme of mixing fuel with additional belt over the main ones (Fuel-Oxidant-Fuel);
x centrifugal atomizers at all belts;
x using new elements: - the screen,
- the spout,
34 Vasiliy Zubanov et al. / Procedia Engineering 104 (2015) 29 – 35

- the redistributive grille;

x entering angle of critical section is 90 degrees;
x upper location of fuel inlet;
x inlets at an angle is 45 degrees to each other.
All this allowed us to obtain acceptable flow pattern (Fig. 6) with a maximum temperature of gases 2100 K on
the inner surface of the chamber at the critical section. This will ensure a high probability of engine workability with
the camera of niobium alloy coated with disilicide. Specific impulse in vacuum is 4489 m/s which corresponds to
the technical task (see Table 2).

Fig. 5. Distribution of temperature at the longitudinal section of engine with Fig. 6. Distribution of temperature at the longitudinal section of
additional fuel belt over the main ones. designed engine final variant.

4. Conclusion

Rocket engine with thrust 25 N was designed. Workable of engine and compliance of its parameters with
technical specification were proved by numerical simulation. Adequacy of CFD-model was confirmed by
comparison with experimental data. This CFD-model can be used for further research workflows of rocket engines
operating on gaseous oxygen and hydrogen to reduce the volume of development tests.

Acknowledgments

The work was financially supported by the Ministry of education and science of Russia in the framework of basic
part of government assignment and in the framework of the implementation of the Program of increasing the
competitiveness of SSAU among the world’s leading scientific and educational centers for 2013-2020 years.

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