The subdetonative propulsion mode using thermal choking has been studied with a one-dimensional (1D) real gas model that included projectile acceleration. Numerical results from a control volume analysis that accounted for unsteady flow effects established that the thrust coefficient versus Mach number profile was lower than that obtained with a quasi-steady model. This deviation correlates with experimental results obtained in a 38-mm-bore ram accelerator at 5.15 MPa fill pressure. Theoretical calculations were initially carried out with the assumption that the combustion process thermally choked the flow about one projectile length behind the projectile base. Thus the control volume length used in this 1D modeling was twice the projectile length, which is consistent with experimental observations at velocities corresponding to Mach number less than 3.5. Yet the choice of the length of the combustion zone and thus the control volume length remains a key issue in the unsteady modeling of the ram accelerator. The present paper provides a refinement of the unsteady one-dimensional model in which the effect of control volume length on the thrust coefficient and the projectile acceleration were investigated. For this purpose the control volume length determined from computational fluid dynamics (CFD) as a function of projectile Mach number was applied. The CFD modeling utilized the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations to numerically simulate the reacting flow in the ram accelerator. The shear-stress transport turbulence and the eddy dissipation combustion models were used along with a detailed chemical kinetic mechanism with six species and five-step reactions to account for the influence of turbulence and rate of heat release on the length of the combustion zone. These CFD computational results provided Mach number dependent estimates for the control volume length that were implemented in the 1D modeling. Results from the proposed improved 1D unsteady modeling were compared and validated with ram accelerator experimental data with significant improvements in terms of the predicted thrust dependence on Mach number.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
September 2011
Research Papers
Improved One-Dimensional Unsteady Modeling of Thermally Choked Ram Accelerator in Subdetonative Velocity Regime
Tarek Bengherbia,
Tarek Bengherbia
Faculty of Engineering,
Kingston University
, London SW15 3DW, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
Yufeng Yao,
Yufeng Yao
Faculty of Engineering,
Kingston University
, London SW15 3DW, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
Pascal Bauer,
Pascal Bauer
Laboratoire de Combustion et de Détonique (LCD)
, UPR9028CNRS, ENSMA – Poitiers 86961, France
Search for other works by this author on:
Marc Giraud,
Marc Giraud
Exobal Consulting Office
, Saint-Louis la Chaussée, 68300, France
Search for other works by this author on:
Carl Knowlen
Carl Knowlen
Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics,
University of Washington
, Seattle, WA 98195-2250
Search for other works by this author on:
Tarek Bengherbia
Faculty of Engineering,
Kingston University
, London SW15 3DW, U.K.
Yufeng Yao
Faculty of Engineering,
Kingston University
, London SW15 3DW, U.K.
Pascal Bauer
Laboratoire de Combustion et de Détonique (LCD)
, UPR9028CNRS, ENSMA – Poitiers 86961, France
Marc Giraud
Exobal Consulting Office
, Saint-Louis la Chaussée, 68300, France
Carl Knowlen
Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics,
University of Washington
, Seattle, WA 98195-2250J. Appl. Mech. Sep 2011, 78(5): 051004 (10 pages)
Published Online: July 27, 2011
Article history
Received:
November 19, 2010
Revised:
March 21, 2011
Online:
July 27, 2011
Published:
July 27, 2011
Citation
Bengherbia, T., Yao, Y., Bauer, P., Giraud, M., and Knowlen, C. (July 27, 2011). "Improved One-Dimensional Unsteady Modeling of Thermally Choked Ram Accelerator in Subdetonative Velocity Regime." ASME. J. Appl. Mech. September 2011; 78(5): 051004. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4004327
Download citation file:
Get Email Alerts
Cited By
Hamiltonian System-Based Symplectic Framework for Analytical Vibration Analysis of Microplates
J. Appl. Mech (December 2024)
Related Articles
Combined Experimental/Numerical Development of Propulsor Evaluation Capability
J. Fluids Eng (August,2011)
Adaptation of the Low Dissipation Low Dispersion Scheme for Reactive Multicomponent Flows on Unstructured Grids Using Density-Based Solvers
J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power (January,2025)
Experimental Study and Numerical Simulation of Propellant Ignition and Combustion for Cased Telescoped Ammunition in Chamber
J. Appl. Mech (September,2010)
Propellant Driven Water Acceleration and Its Influence on System Durability
J. Appl. Mech (July,2011)
Related Proceedings Papers
Related Chapters
A Simple Carburetor
Case Studies in Fluid Mechanics with Sensitivities to Governing Variables
Cavitation Induction by Projectile Impacting on a Water Jet
Proceedings of the 10th International Symposium on Cavitation (CAV2018)
Optimal Shape Design Approach and Influence on the Projectile Vertices with Respect to Some Objective Function
International Conference on Mechanical and Electrical Technology, 3rd, (ICMET-China 2011), Volumes 1–3