Combustion of Hydrogen and Oxygen Under Different Pressure Conditions in a Single-Injector Test Case: Thermal Analysis and Comparison

In order to accurately predict the thermal conditions of the combustion process in a liquid rocket engine, it is essential to use a reliable and precise combustion model. Ansys Fluent was employed to simulate the combustion and analyze the flame and its temperature distribution in the combustion chamber and the two Mascotte test cases, namely RCM 2 (rocket combustion modeling) and RCM 3, were used to test the effectiveness of the models. RCM 2 has a chamber pressure of 10 bar, making it a case of subcritical combustion, while RCM 3 had a chamber pressure of 60 bar, making it a case of supercritical combustion. The results from the models were then compared with the experimental results presented at the 2nd International Workshop on Rocket Combustion Modelling, and also with the results obtained by researchers using a multiphase flow CFD model which utilizes real-fluid properties of the propellants. These comparisons were used to study the reliability and precision of employing non-premixed combustion using the laminar flamelet model and the chemical equilibrium model for RCM 2 and RCM 3, respectively, in predicting the flame profile and thermal environment in a liquid rocket engine.