Afterburning Missile Base Flow Modeling and Analyses

Finite-rate turbulence- chemistry interaction methodology will be implemented in the CRAFT CFD code to improve high-speed afterburning base flow predictions. UMiss/NCPA will conduct hot-rocket model tests with afterburning and collect base region and plume data along with Schlieren and IR imagery to extend the data base for validation of the computational models under development. CRAFT Tech will implement an EDC turbulent chemistry model for application with finite-rate reactions which is computationally efficient and a more sophisticated MEPDF method for turbulence chemistry interactions which has recently been extended for application to high-speed flows. The MEPDF method is more computationally expensive but can provide state-of-the-art accuracy in high-speed finite-rate turbulent chemistry modeling. The NCPA afterburning hot-rocket experiment will be simulated with both the EDC and MEPDF methods with finite-rate reactions and simulation results compared to the NCPA data collected as part of the Phase I effort and a plan for Phase II model refinement/validation will be formulated including the acquisition of hot-rocket PIV data in Phase II.