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Comsol MP in Rocket Technology

A wide range of applications

Comsol MultiPhysics in Rocket

Technology

Defense, Security and Safety

Presented at the COMSOL Users Conference 2006 Eindhoven

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How is Comsol MP used in Rocket Technology

Disciplines: Mechanical analyses

Thermal analyses Chemical processes

CFD

Examples: Spinning Ramjet Projectile

Micro-thruster

Catalytic Decomposition (Sc)ramjet vehicle performance

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Example 1: Spinning Ramjet Projectile

Gun launched

Auto-igniting

Sustains Mach 4

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Spinning test set-up

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Intake and fin CFD

Aerodynamic forces on fins

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Structural loading

Periodic boundary conditions

Aerodynamic surface forces

Centrifugal volume forces

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Example 2: Micro-thruster

Thrust < 1 N

Monopropellant: H2O2

V nano-satellites, ACS micro-satellites Testbed for hybrid

manufacturing.

(micro-machining

and MEMS)

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Thermal analysis, step one: detailed 2D

Heat load from catalyst bed

from inside

Radiation and possibleconvective cooling on outside,

corrected for surface ratio

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Thermal analysis, step two: simplified 2D

Catalyst bed ring and support structure removed

Equivalent heat load at point c applied to boundary b1

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Thermal analysis, step three: 3D

Equivalent heat load on simplified 2D model

reproduces detailed 2D results apply this

heat load in a simplified 3D model

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Thermal losses estimation

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 10090

100

110

120

130

140

150

160

170

SpecificImp

ulse(s)

time (s)

nominal mass flow

maximum mass flow

theoretical maximum

preliminary design nominal

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Example 3: Catalytic Decomposition

Start-up performance of catalytic

decomposition of a mono-propellant.

Application modes used:

Brinkman porous flow

Heat conduction

Convection and Conduction Convection and Diffusion (2 species)

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Example 3: Catalytic Decomposition

Inflow of propellant from the top.

As soon as decomposition starts, the velocity increases

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Example 3: Catalytic Decomposition

Velocity Decomposition Structural

Temperature

Fluid

Temperature

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Example 4: (Sc)ramjet vehicle performance

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Ramjet intake operation

Slightly super-criticalSlightly sub-critical

Transition effects

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Scramjet vehicle with Singe Expansion Ramp Nozzle

Temperature

Pressure

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Ramjet start-up

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... and many more to come ...