Low-Order Models for the Evolution of Scalar and Vector Quantities in Supersonic Particle Laden Plumes

Missile base flow prediction is an area that has eluded a satisfactory solution since the 1950's owing to the complex aero-thermo-chemical physics of this region involving flow separation, two-phase gas/particle non-equilibrium, chemical kinetics, and flow turbulence in complex geometries. Additional complexities are introduced when considering alterations to the base flow structure and plume turbulence (which can affect missile drag and heating, as well as the plume thermal signature and afterburning) that result from the particulate in solid-propellant missile exhaust. Consequently, it is important to include particle effects in computational simulations to accurately predict missile performance and the missile/plume signature for detection/avoidance concerns. The overall objective of the proposed program is to extend and validate the CFD simulation capability for missile base flows, accounting for particle loading effects relevant to Solid Propellant Missiles towards providing the government with a comprehensive CFD capability to predict these complex flowfields. The Phase I program will initiate progress towards this overall goal using a collaborative research effort consisting of a computational phase to investigate turbulence characteristics of high-speed flows with moderate to heavy particle loading, and proof-of-concept experiments demonstrating a validated ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy system for collecting relevant data for validation of the computational model.