What is it about?
A simplified design method is used to determine if changing the shape of a rocket nozzle can improve safety during the start up phase of the engine. This was achieved using numerical modeling, and the engine safety improved without sacrificing nozzle performance.
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Why is it important?
This work represents the first case of the shape of a rocket nozzle being used to improve safety during engine start up. Finding that this could be achieved without a loss in performance suggests that alternative nozzle design methods should be investigated further.
Perspectives
Rocket nozzle design methods that are currently used in the industry are extremely rigid. This work challenges the current philosophy by indicating that a net benefit is possible using alternative methods.
Kyll Schomberg
University of New South Wales
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Suppressing Restricted Shock Separation in Thrust-Optimized Rocket Nozzles Using Contour Geometry, July 2015, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA),
DOI: 10.2514/6.2015-4220.
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