Effect of crystallization kinetics on rocket performance

Monte Carlo Simulation of a Rarefied Multiphase Plume Flow

“…Phase change processes will in turn influence the particle temperature, as well as that of the surrounding gas, and may greatly affect radiative properties throughout the plume. Several previous studies involving SRM exhaust flow simulations have included consideration of the nonequilibrium phase change processes typical to such flows, 3,12 but little effort has been devoted to the detailed characterization of particle phase composition in high altitude plume flows, where gas-particle interactions must be considered through a kinetic theory based approach.…”

“…Following Hunter et al, 13 the normalized front radius is first updated according to Eq. (12), where ∆T j is set equal to zero. If the resulting r 1 value is greater than one, then the particle temperature is increased by…”

“…Selected simulation results are shown in Figs. (2) through (12). Figure (2) shows the variation in the maximum downstream distance for interphase coupling in either direction as a function of the cutoff values.…”

“…Selected results for the case where C 1 = C 2 = 10 -4 are displayed in Figs. (11) and (12). Figure (11) shows the contours of mass-averaged particle temperature (top) and gas translational temperature.…”

“…A nonequilibrium particle phase change model is presented here, following equations of Henderson, 12 Hunter et al 13 and Plastinin et al 14 In this model, it is assumed that homogeneous crystallization begins on the surface of a liquid droplet, at a nucleation temperature well below that required for equilibrium melting. A heterogeneous crystallization front then progresses toward the particle center, at a velocity which varies as a function of the particle temperature.…”