Evaluation of the chemical interaction of exhaust gases of methane / oxygen propelled liquid rocket engines with the atmosphere

N. Slavinskaya, U. Riedel, M. Wiegand, O. J. Haidn

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

It is known that during a launch of a rocket the interaction of the exhaust gases of rocket engines with the atmosphere cause local depletion of the ozone layer. In order to study these chemical processes in detail a chemical reaction mechanism of methane oxidation appropriate for high and low pressure conditions and the network of chemical reactors available in CHEMICAL WORKBENCH software have been successfully developed to simulate pressure, temperature, and velocity field in the convergent-divergent rocket nozzle and in the exhaust-jet. A detailed chemical kinetic model for high pressure CH4/O2-combustion developed earlier has been improved for the low pressure and low temperature methane combustion and augmented with sub-models for NOX, O3 and Polyaromatic Hydrocabons (PAHs) chemistry. The main model improvements are related to the pressure dependent reactions. The model has been validated for operating conditions of 0.02 atm < p < 100 atm, 300 K < T < 1800 K and 0.5 < F{cyrillic} < 3.0. The simulations performed have demonstrated that active radicals in the exhaust gases of a methane/oxygen propelled liquid rocket engine intensify the nitrogen compound production as well as the ozone consumption in the jetatmosphere mixing layer. Additionally, the simulation results reveal that the temperature and pressure conditions in the combustion chambers of methane/oxygen propelled rocket engines considerably reduce the production of PAH.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication51st AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting including the New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exposition 2013
StatePublished - 2013
Event51st AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting including the New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exposition 2013 - Grapevine, TX, United States
Duration: 7 Jan 201310 Jan 2013

Publication series

Name51st AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting including the New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exposition 2013

Conference

Conference51st AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting including the New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exposition 2013
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityGrapevine, TX
Period7/01/1310/01/13

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