Tactical Rocket Engine Stability Tool

History has repeatedly shown that combustion instability is the greatest technical risk faced in any rocket development program. To address this risk, Gloyer-Taylor Laboratories LLC (GTL) has created the Universal Combustion Device Stability (UCDS™) process. UCDS employs a tightly integrated analysis of all forms of disturbances, acoustic, vortical, and entropic waves, superimposed on the quasi-steady mean flow of combustion products. This tool provides the means to calculate the complex combustion stability characteristics of rocket engines. GTL proposes to validate the robustness of the UCDS tool by analyzing five benchmark cases and comparing the results to test data. Sensitivity analyses will be used to extract key insight into the impact of mechanisms, phenomena and parameters on system stability. As part of this effort, physical or computational experiments will be designed and performed to examine high priority features. Successful completion of the proposed Phase II validation effort will replace the uncertainty and high cost of rocket development by a rigorous design methodology based on true understanding of engine oscillatory dynamics. This capability will provide a critical risk reduction for the Hydrocarbon Boost program and open the door to new possibilities for future tactical rocket engines.