The design of annular aerospike nozzles is often considered rather challenging due to the complex thermal load management caused by the large surface area exposed to high heat flux. Modular approaches can greatly mitigate this problem, compromising performance with ease of cooling circuit design. Within this framework, the present study investigates alternative single module geometries to conventional bell nozzles, considering the possibility of an elliptical divergent nozzle section. In this way, the loss in single module performance compared to a circular module is offset by a greater coverage of the annulus exit area, resulting in potentially reduced jet interaction losses. Performance of elliptical nozzles are analyzed through CFD simulations of the hot gas flow and parametric analyses are performed. Eventually, the design of the cooling circuit is carried out by conjugate heat transfer simulations, highlighting multiple strategies for the cooling channels arrangement.
Module performance and heat transfer analysis of a clustered annular aerospike nozzle / Barbato, Vincenzo; Sereno, Alessio; Fiore, Matteo; Nasuti, Francesco. - (2024). (Intervento presentato al convegno Space Propulsion Conference 2024 tenutosi a Glasgow, UK).
Module performance and heat transfer analysis of a clustered annular aerospike nozzle
Vincenzo Barbato
Primo
Writing – Original Draft Preparation
;Alessio SerenoSecondo
Writing – Original Draft Preparation
;Matteo FiorePenultimo
Writing – Original Draft Preparation
;Francesco NasutiUltimo
Writing – Review & Editing
2024
Abstract
The design of annular aerospike nozzles is often considered rather challenging due to the complex thermal load management caused by the large surface area exposed to high heat flux. Modular approaches can greatly mitigate this problem, compromising performance with ease of cooling circuit design. Within this framework, the present study investigates alternative single module geometries to conventional bell nozzles, considering the possibility of an elliptical divergent nozzle section. In this way, the loss in single module performance compared to a circular module is offset by a greater coverage of the annulus exit area, resulting in potentially reduced jet interaction losses. Performance of elliptical nozzles are analyzed through CFD simulations of the hot gas flow and parametric analyses are performed. Eventually, the design of the cooling circuit is carried out by conjugate heat transfer simulations, highlighting multiple strategies for the cooling channels arrangement.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.