Coupled Pyrolysis, Radiant Heat Transfer, and Fluid Dynamics Modeling

The Phase II effort will unify advanced models for simulating post burn out effects in solid rocket motors (SRM"s), coupling fluid dynamic, radiative, and conductive heat transfer processes using innovative parallelization strategies. Complex processes such as surface pyrolysis and slag formation/buildup/breakup will be modeled. Models will be integrated into a Navier Stokes CFD code that itself contains very advanced multi-phase/combustive capabilities. Previously developed high-fidelity radiative and conduction heat transfer models will serve as starting points for this effort with Phase II work extending them to analyze a rocket motor environment. Since these models operate on different grids than our CFD code, coupling requires significant attention and innovation in view of the different scales. In Phase I, we focused on coupling the fluid dynamics with a radiative heat transfer model, and we accounted for the radiative absorption and scattering by the hot gases and particles in the chamber, in a very preliminary manner. We demonstrated this for a simplified rocket chamber flow. In Phase II, we will implement motor specific submodels (for pyrolysis, etc.), develop an"end-to-end"SRM model that can analyze post burn out events for varied flight scenarios, and analyze such scenarios for a real motor.