Evolution of cooling-channel properties for varying aspect ratio

A trade-off analysis is performed on a cooling channel system representative of liquid rocket engine cooling systems. This analysis requires multiple cooling channel flow calculations which are performed by means of a proper numerical approach, referred to as quasi-two-dimensional (2D) model. This model, which is suited to high-aspect-ratio cooling channels (HARCC), permits to have a fast prediction of both the coolant flow evolution and the temperature distribution along the whole cooling channel structure. Before using the quasi-2D model for the trade-off analysis, its validation by comparison with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) results is presented and discussed. The results show that the pump power required to overcome losses in the cooling circuit can be minimized selecting a channel shaped with a suitably high aspect ratio.