Comparative Studies of Convective Heat Transfer Models for Rocket Engines

摘要

Studies of both numerical and closed-form methods for evaluating the convective heat transfer rates from high temperature combustion gases to the converging-diverging nozzle of a liquid fueled rocket engine are presented. Special attention is given to a numerical model which solves the compressible boundary layer equations and determines the equilibrium composition for the combustion products. The boundary layer equations are solved via an implicit finite-difference scheme. Turbulence closure is obtained using a zero-equation and two-equation model. Results are compared with a semi-empirical closed-form model, and additional numerical model based on conjugate heat transfer. The comparative studies reveal that the computational results are in agreement with the experimental data, and provide improved accuracy in comparison to closed-form solutions.