Validation of Integral Method for Numerical Prediction of Hybrid Rocket Internal Ballistics

概要

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In order to design hybrid rocket engines, we developed a numerical prediction method which describes the internal ballistics, thus the solid fuel regression rate. In order to obtain a fast code, simple but efficient models have been implemented. The fluid dynamics and the thermal heat conduction in the solid fuel have longer characteristic times than chemical phenomena, hence time-dependency is required. The regression rate is evaluated by solving the energy-balance equation at the solid fuel surface. The code validation is made by comparing calculation results with open literature experimental data. This comparison confirmed that the numerical estimation of time- and space-averaged regression rates has the same order of magnitude as the experimental data of time- and space-averaged regression rates. However the dependency of regression rate on oxidizer mass flux differs between the calculations and the experiments. This difference could be mainly due to the use of only convective heat transfer between flame and fuel surface. Nevertheless, by considering also the radiative heat transfer, it is possible to obtain a higher accuracy in the calculation of the regression rate dependency on oxidizer mass flux.