Combustion Devices CFD Team Analyses Review

A variety of CFD simulations performed by the Combustion Devices CFD Team at Marshall Space Flight Center will be presented. These analyses were performed to support Space Shuttle operations and Ares-1 Crew Launch Vehicle design. Results from the analyses will be shown along with pertinent information on the CFD codes and computational resources used to obtain the results. Six analyses will be presented - two related to the Space Shuttle and four related to the Ares I-1 launch vehicle now under development at NASA. First, a CFD analysis of the flow fields around the Space Shuttle during the first six seconds of flight and potential debris trajectories within those flow fields will be discussed. Second, the combusting flows within the Space Shuttle Main Engine's main combustion chamber will be shown. For the Ares I-1, an analysis of the performance of the roll control thrusters during flight will be described. Several studies are discussed related to the J2-X engine to be used on the upper stage of the Ares I-1 vehicle. A parametric study of the propellant flow sequences and mixture ratios within the GOX/GH2 spark igniters on the J2-X is discussed. Transient simulations will be described that predict the asymmetric pressure loads that occur on the rocket nozzle during the engine start as the nozzle fills with combusting gases. Simulations of issues that affect temperature uniformity within the gas generator used to drive the J-2X turbines will described as well, both upstream of the chamber in the injector manifolds and within the combustion chamber itself.