Development and Validation of a CFD/Controls Based Tool for Low cost Pintle Motor Design

Development of a software system incorporating accurate transient an simulations coupled with advanced valve control logic is proposed to aid in the design and analysis of axial pintle valve systems for low cost tactical motors. Due to strong current commercial software capability and similar pintle valve control technology, CFDRC will be able to draw on existing software to: perform the transient CFD calculations (CFD-ACE. CFDRC's commercial CFD code); automatically generate grids for the design configuration (CFD-GEOM - a GUI-driven geometry and grid generation program); and control the transient response of the system using advanced inverse control logic (PINCON- a pintle valve control simulation environment validated using ATR propellant development test data). These areas will be integrated with nozzle design methodologies and simple propellant ballistic performance to create the Phase I design software. The Phase I software will be validated at little additional cost with data generated from testing of a prototype low cost axial pintle motor concept at Atlantic Research Corporation. All developed software and engineering data will be delivered to MICOM, ARC and Aerojet at the conclusion of Phase I. During Phase II the CFD/controls based pintle motor design tool will be fully coupled to advanced internal ballistics modeling and CFDRC's MultiDIscilpinary Computational Environment (MDICE). The final tool will be capable of predictions of motor pressure, thrust, efficiency, structural/thermal loading, control response and pertinent vehicle integrated system dynantics in terms of cost and complexity. BENEFITS: Both the Phase I and Phase II pintle motor design tools will have immediate impact at propulsion manufacturers Atlantic Research, Aerojet, Thiokol, etc. in the design, analysis and testing of smart propulsion systems. Other applications include numerous industrial pneumatic actuation control systems and high pressure steam throttling within the marine propulsion and industrial power industries. CFDRC's close proximity to MICOM and close working relationships with propulsion manufacturers assures rapid technology and expertise transfer to MICOM and rapid and Phase III commercialization resp