Fundamental of Acoustic Instabilities in Liquid-Propellant Rockets

Abstract

The objective of this research was to improve understanding of the mechanisms by which flow, mixing and combustion processes are coupled to acoustic fields in liquid propellant rocket motors. Particular attention was focused on analyses of amplification mechanisms coupled with finite rate chemical reactions by use of numerical and analytical methods. A theoretical explanation of empirical correlation of instability boundaries for engine test results for LOX/RP-1 rockets was developed on the basis of amplification by finite rate chemical reactions in strained mixing layers. In addition, a new numerical computation of nonlinear amplification mechanisms in LOX/GH2 combustion suggested a possible explanation of threshold phenomena found in liquid propellant rockets.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 14, 1997
Accession Number
ADA329657

Entities

People

  • F. A. Williams

Organizations

  • University of California, San Diego

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acoustic Frequencies
  • Acoustic Waves
  • Amplification
  • Boundaries
  • Burning Rate
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Chemistry
  • Combustion
  • Diffusion
  • Engines
  • Frequency
  • Instability
  • Liquid Propellants
  • Propellants
  • Rocket Engines
  • Rockets
  • Strain Rate

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
  • Optical Physics and Photonics.
  • Rocket Propulsion.