Les lanceurs ont un impact sur la composition de l'atmosphere, et en particulier sur l'ozone stratospherique. Parmi tous les types de propulsion, les moteurs à propergol solide ont fait l'objet d'une attention particulière car leurs émissions sont responsables d'un appauvrissement significatif d'ozone dans le panache des lanceurs lors des premières heures suivant le lancement. Ce phénomène est principalement dû à la conversion de l'acide chlorhydrique, un composé chimique présent en grandes quantités dans les émissions de ce type de moteur, en chlore actif qui réagit par la suite avec l'ozone dans un cycle catalytique similaire à celui responsable du "trou de la couche d'ozone", cette diminution périodique de l'ozone en Antarctique. Cette conversion se produit dans le panache supersonique, où les hautes températures favorisent une seconde combustion entre certaines espèces chimiques du panache et l'air ambiant. L'objectif de cette étude est d'évaluer la concentration de chlore actif dans le panache d'un moteur à propergol solide en utilisant la technique des Simulations aux Grandes Echelles (SGE). Le gaz est injecté à travers la tuyère d'un moteur et une méthode de couplage entre deux instances du solveur de mécanique des fluides est utilisée pour étendre autant que possible le domaine de calcul derrière la tuyère (jusqu'à l'équivalent de 400 diamètres de sortie de la tuyère). Cette méthodologie est validée par une première SGE sans chimie, en analysant les caractéristiques de l'écoulement supersonique avec co-écoulement obtenu par ce calcul. Ensuite, le chimie mettant en jeu la conversion des espèces chlorées a été étudiée au moyen d'un modèle "hors-ligne" permettant de résoudre une chimie complexe le long de lignes de courant extraites d'un écoulement moyenné dans le temps résultant du calcul précédent (non réactif). Enfin, une SGE multi-espèces est réalisée, incluant un schéma chimique auparavant réduit afin de limiter le coût de calcul. Cette simulation représente une des toutes premières SGE d'un jet supersonique réactif, incluant la tuyère, effectuée sur un domaine de calcul aussi long. En capturant avec précision le mélange du panache avec l'air ambiant ainsi que les interactions entre turbulence et combustion, la technique des simulations aux grandes échelles offre une évaluation des concentrations des espèces chimiques dans le jet d'une precision inédite. Ces résultats peuvent être utilisés pour initialiser des calculs atmosphériques sur de plus larges domaines, afin de modéliser les réactions entre chlore actif et ozone et de quantifier l'appauvrissement en ozone dans le panache. / Rockets have an impact on the chemical composition of the atmosphere, and particularly on stratospheric ozone. Among all types of propulsion, Solid-Rocket Motors (SRMs) have given rise to concerns since their emissions are responsible for a severe decrease in ozone concentration in the rocket plume during the first hours after a launch. The main source of ozone depletion is due to the conversion of hydrogen chloride, a chemical compound emitted in large quantities by ammonium perchlorate based propellants, into active chlorine compounds, which then react with ozone in a destructive catalytic cycle, similar to those responsible for the Antartic "Ozone hole". This conversion occurs in the hot, supersonic exhaust plume, as part of a strong second combustion between chemical species of the plume and air. The objective of this study is to evaluate the active chlorine concentration in the far-field plume of a solid-rocket motor using large-eddy simulations (LES). The gas is injected through the entire nozzle of the SRM and a local time-stepping method based on coupling multi-instances of the fluid solver is used to extend the computational domain up to 400 nozzle exit diameters downstream of the nozzle exit. The methodology is validated for a non-reactive case by analyzing the flow characteristics of the resulting supersonic co-flowing under-expanded jet. Then the chemistry of chlorine is studied off-line using a complex chemistry solver applied on trajectories extracted from the LES time-averaged flow-field. Finally, the online chemistry is analyzed by means of the multi-species version of the LES solver using a reduced chemical scheme. To the best of our knowledge, this represents one of the first LES of a reactive supersonic jet, including nozzle geometry, performed over such a long computational domain. By capturing the effect of mixing of the exhaust plume with ambient air and the interactions between turbulence and combustion, LES offers an evaluation of chemical species distribution in the SRM plume with an unprecedented accuracy. These results can be used to initialize atmospheric simulations on larger domains, in order to model the chemical reactions between active chlorine and ozone and to quantify the ozone loss in SRM plumes.

The work presented in this thesis deals with the application of optimization tools to the design of solid rocket motor grains per internal ballistic requirements. Research concentrated on the development of an optimization strategy capable of efficiently and consistently optimizing virtually an unlimited range of radial burning solid rocket motor grain geometries. Optimization tools were applied to the design process of solid rocket motor grains through an optimization framework developed to interface optimization tools with the solid rocket motor design system. This was done within a programming architecture common to the grain design system, AML. This commonality in conjunction with the object-oriented dependency-tracking features of this programming architecture were used to reduce the computational time of the design optimization process. The optimization strategy developed for optimizing solid rocket motor grain geometries was called the internal ballistic optimization strategy. This strategy consists of a three stage optimization process; approximation, global optimization, and highfidelity optimization, and optimization methodologies employed include DOE, genetic algorithms, and the BFGS first-order gradient-based algorithm. This strategy was successfully applied to the design of three solid rocket motor grains of varying complexity. The contributions of this work was the development and application of an optimization strategy to the design process of solid rocket motor grains per internal ballistic requirements.

Submitted by PAULO ROBERTO SAKAI null (prsakai@yahoo.com.br) on 2016-01-15T12:06:37Z No. of bitstreams: 1 CARACTERIZAÇÃO DE JUNTAS SOLDADAS EM PAW E GTAW DE CHAPAS FINAS EM AÇO MARAGING 300 SUBMETIDAS A VÁRIOS REPAROS.pdf: 16627185 bytes, checksum: 4b08baddd60bec8be8acf6956cc8e2ee (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Paula Grisoto (grisotoana@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-01-15T12:54:59Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 sakai_pr_dr_guara_int.pdf: 16627185 bytes, checksum: 4b08baddd60bec8be8acf6956cc8e2ee (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-01-15T12:54:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 sakai_pr_dr_guara_int.pdf: 16627185 bytes, checksum: 4b08baddd60bec8be8acf6956cc8e2ee (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-12-18 / Este trabalho tem como objetivo caracterizar mecanica e metalograficamente, juntas soldadas de chapas finas em aço Maraging 300, submetidas a até três reparos, usadas na fabricação de envelopes motores foguete a propelente sólido desenvolvidos no Instituto de Aeronáutica e Espaço (IAE) em atendimento às necessidades de sua gama de lançadores. O envelope motor atua como elemento estrutural e também possui a função primária de suportar a pressão de trabalho durante a queima do propelente. Atualmente, o envelope motor é fabricado em aço 300M-ESR e o IAE tomou a decisão de substituí-lo pelo aço Maraging 300. Em função dos processos existentes no Instituto, neste trabalho utilizaram-se os processos de soldagem Plasma Arc Welding - PAW com a técnica keyhole e Gas Tungsten Arc Welding - GTAW, ambos em passe único, com metal de adição. Antes de serem submetidas aos ensaios, as juntas passaram por inspeção não destrutiva de acordo com os critérios da norma AWS D17.1. Os reparos foram feitos de forma manual e processo GTAW. Amostras da junta soldada e reparadas foram submetidas a ensaios de tração, dureza Vickers (HV) por microindentações, análises químicas, análises metalográficas e fractográficas. Corpos de prova dos cordões adjacentes aos reparos também foram avaliados. Os resultados mostram que após a solda e reparos e o tratamento térmico de solubilização e envelhecimento, a zona fundida e a região da linha de fusão da solda apresentam uma dureza abaixo das outras regiões afetadas termicamente. Para as condições da solda sem reparo e reparadas, o processo PAW apresentou um valor menor de dureza em todas estas regiões com relação ao processo GTAW. As análises da superfície dos corpos de prova soldados rompidos indicam o predomínio de um processo de ruptura iniciado próximo à linha de fusão da solda e que se propaga em direção ao interior do cordão. A natureza da fratura mostrou o domínio da formação de alvéolos (dimples). Os corpos de prova soldados GTAW apresentaram uma resistência mecânica mais alta do que os do processo PAW. Igualmente, os corpos de prova soldados PAW obtidos dos cordões das regiões adjacentes aos reparos tiveram valores de resistência inferiores. Embora os valores de resistência mecânica das juntas soldadas submetidas a até três reparos no mesmo ponto tenham apresentado grande variabilidade, não há indicativo de diminuição da resistência com relação a junta sem reparo. / This work aims at mechanic and metallographic characterization of Maraging 300 welded joints sheets, submitted to up to three repairs, used for the fabrication of solid propellant rocket motors at the Institute of Aeronautics and Space – IAE as to comply with its range of launchers. The rocket motor is a structural part and also has the primary function of supporting the nominal pressure during the propellant burning. At present, the rocket motor is fabricated in 300M-ESR steel and IAE has decided to replace such a steel for the Maraging 300 one. Due to IAE’s existing processes, Plasma Arc Welding – PAW with the keyhole technique and the Gas Tungsten Arc Welding – GTAW have been used, both single-pass welding with filler. Before they have been submitted to the tests, the joints went through non-destructive inspection according to AWS D17.1 Standard. Manual repairs and GTAW process have been made. Samples of the welded and repaired joints were submitted to tensile testing, Vickers hardness, chemical analysis, fractrographic and metallographic analysis. Body tests of the beads adjacent to the repairs have also been assessed. Results show that after welding, repairs and solubilization and aging heating treatment, the melted zone as well as the weld joins lines zone present hardness below other heat affected zones. As for the conditions of the non-repaired and repaired welds, the PAW process has demonstrated lower hardness values in all zones in what regards the GTAW process. The welded and fractured body tests surfaces analysis indicate the predominance of a fracture process started next to the weld joins lines which goes towards the bead interior. The nature of the fracture has shown the predominance of dimples. The GTAW welded body tests presented higher mechanical strength than that of the PAW process. Similarly, the PAW welded body tests obtained from the beads of the zones adjacent to repairs presented lower strength values. Although the mechanical strength values of the welded joints submitted to up to three repairs in the same point have shown great variability, there is no indication of strength decrease regarding the non-repaired joint.

O objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar o processo atual de preparação de superfície para aderência de isolantes térmicos em envelopes motores foguetes de 1.000 mm de diâmetro, visando sua utilização no aço Maraging 18Ni300, tendo como parâmetros de comparação a rugosidade superficial e a resistência mecânica adesiva, obtida atualmente na interface colada metal/isolante térmico do aço 300MESR. Para isso, foram realizados experimentos de campo, com uma abordagem quantitativa, por meio da medida de rugosidade (Ra) nas superfícies de amostras de aços, submetidas a tratamento superficial mecânico de jateamento abrasivo a seco com granalha de aço de perfil angular, sendo posteriormente selecionadas e utilizadas como substrato em juntas adesivadas que, por fim, foram submetidas a ensaio mecânico de cisalhamento, para verificação da resistência mecânica adesiva. A utilização de métodos de análise estatísticos (análise de variância, teste de tukey, intervalo de confiança) aplicados aos dados coletados, permitiram estabelecer, para o processo atual uma faixa de resistência mecânica adesiva para cada aço pesquisado. Os resultados obtidos confirmam, com boa margem de segurança, que o processo atual de preparação de superfície para aderência de isolantes térmicos pode ser aplicado ao aço Maraging 18Ni300, sem que ocorra perda significativa de resistência mecânica adesiva na interface colada metal/isolante térmico. / The aim of this work is to evaluate the current process of preparing the surface for adherence of thermal insulation in rocket motor of 1,000 mm diameter, seeking their use in Maraging18Ni300 steel, taking as parameters comparison the of surface roughness and mechanical adhesive strength obtained, currently, in the bonded interface metal /heat insulator 300M-ESR steel. A field experiment was conducted with a quantitative approach, by measuring surface roughness (Ra) on the surfaces of steel samples, subjected to mechanical surface treatment of dry abrasive blasting, with steel shot with angular profile and which were, subsequently, selected and used in bonded joints that were finally submitted to mechanical shear tests to verify the mechanical adhesive strength. The use of statistical methods of analysis (variance analysis, Tukey test, confidence interval), applied to selected data, allowed to establish for the current process, a range of mechanical adhesive strength for each steel investigated. The results confirm, with a good safety margin, that the current process of preparing the surface for adhesion of thermal insulation can be applied to the Maraging18Ni300 steel, without significant loss of mechanical adhesive strength in the metal /heat insulator bonded interface.

Dans un moteur à propergol solide, des instabilités thermoacoustiques auto-entretenues, induites par le couplage de la dynamique de la combustion des gouttes d’aluminium, libérées par la combustion du propergol, avec le champ acoustique peuvent induire des oscillations de pression.L’analyse menée tout au long de ce manuscrit repose sur un ensemble d’hypothèses simplificatrices: (i) la réponse de la combustion de gouttes d’aluminium aux perturbations acoustiques est contrôlée par l’écoulement local autour de la goutte, (ii) le processus de combustion peut être supposé quasi stationnaire pour la gamme de fréquences et les amplitudes acoustiques étudiées et (iii) la combustion de l’aluminium est brusquement arrêtée lorsque le diamètre de la goutte d’aluminium diminue en dessous d’un diamètre résiduel.L’instabilité thermoacoustique est étudiée au moyen de simulations numériques de l’écoulement dans un moteur générique et d’analyses théoriques. Le diamètre résiduel des gouttes d’aluminium après la combustion, l’amplitude de la perturbation acoustique et la durée de la combustion des gouttes d’aluminium figurent parmi les principaux paramètres modifiant l’instabilité. En outre, trois comportements de réponse de la combustion à l’acoustique sont identifiés : un comportement linéaire pour les faibles niveaux de pression acoustique puis un comportement quadratique (faiblement non-linéaire) et enfin un comportement fortement non-linéaire quand l’amplitude des oscillations augmente.Ensuite, deux aspects importants de la réponse des gouttes d’aluminium sont identifiés. Ils sont associés aux oscillations de la durée du temps de combustion des gouttes, identifiables à la frontière du nuage de gouttes, et aux fluctuations du taux d’évaporation contrôlées par la convection de l’écoulement gazeux autour de chaque goutte. Tenant compte de ces dynamiques,des expressions analytiques sont obtenues permettant de reproduire avec précision les résultats numériques des simulations de l’écoulement. Quatre nombres sans dimension qui régissent la dynamique de ces instabilités sont également identifiés. Inspiré de l’analyse théorique précédente, un modèle numérique d’ordre réduit faiblement non linéaire est finalement développé pour prédire des cycles limites. / In a solid rocket motor, self-sustained thermo-acoustic instabilities, induced by the coupling of the combustion dynamics of aluminum droplets released by the burning propellant with the acoustic field can induce pressure oscillations.The analysis conducted throughout this manuscript relies thus on a set of simplifying hypothesis by assuming (i) that the response of the combustion of aluminum droplets to acoustic perturbations is controlled by the oscillating drag exerted by the local flow around the droplet, (ii) that this unsteady combustion process can be assumed quasi-steady for the range of frequencies and acoustic amplitudes studied and (iii) that aluminum combustion is abruptly quenched when the aluminum droplet diameter falls below a residual diameter.The thermo-acoustic instability is studied first by numerical flow simulations in a generic solid rocket motor and theoretical analyses. The post-combustion residual diameter of the aluminum particles, the amplitude of acoustic perturbation and the lifetime of the burning aluminum droplets are among the main parameters altering the instability. Also, three combustion response behaviors to acoustics are identified : a linear behavior for small acoustic pressure levels followed by a quadratic behavior then a highly non-linear behavior when the pressure amplitude increases in the motor chamber. Moreover, two important features of the response of aluminum droplets are identified. They are associated to oscillations of the droplet lifetime at the boundary of the droplet cloud and to fluctuations of the droplet evaporation rate, controlled by convection. The dynamics of the droplets highly depends on gas and droplet velocity fields and on droplet diameter. Taking these features into account, yields analytical expressions that allow to reproduce with accuracy the numerical results from the flow simulations. Four dimension less numbers are then identified. They govern the dynamics of these instabilities. Inspired from the previous theoretical analysis, a weakly nonlinear low-order numerical model is finally developed to predict limit cycles.

Les moteurs de fusées à ergols solides (SRMs) sont sensibles aux instabilités hydrodynamiques qui peuvent déclencher des oscillations auto-entretenues de pression de grandes amplitudes lorsqu’elles se couplent à l’un des modes acoustiques du système. Le moteur de ces instabilités est la formation de structures tourbillonnaires cohérentes synchronisées par des ondes acoustiques longitudinales. Pour certaines conditions de fonctionnement, les ondes acoustiques générées par l’interaction de ces tourbillons avec la tuyère amorcée du moteur renforcent l’oscillation acoustique. L’objectif des travaux menés dans cette thèse est de déterminer l’amplitude et la fréquence des oscillations de pression au cycle limite des instabilités. Celui-ci est atteint par saturation non linéaire des sources, qui est la conséquence de la formation de grosses structures cohérentes. Dans ce cas l’interaction tourbillon tuyère devient insensible à l’amplitude de l’onde du mode acoustique établi dans le foyer. Dans ces conditions, on peut se concentrer sur l’interaction d’un tourbillon avec la tuyère dans le mécanisme de production sonore. En considérant un écoulement incompressible et l’absence de frottement, un premier modèle analytique est développé permettant de déterminer la production sonore d’un tourbillon ingéré par une tuyère bidimensionnelle plane, lorsque le tourbillon est traité comme une ligne vorticité. Des expériences précédentes indiquent que le volume de la cavité autour de l’entrée d’une tuyère intégrée a une grande influence sur l’amplitude des oscillations de pression dans les grands SRMs. On montre que ceci est dû au champ de vitesse acoustique induit par la compressibilité du gaz dans la cavité qui produit une fluctuation de vitesse transverse à la trajectoire du tourbillon. Une seconde alternative au modèle analytique incompressible est développée en considérant toujours l’absence de frottement, mais un modèle compressible de l’interaction tourbillon-tuyère. Celui-ci repose sur un code aéroacoustique pour les écoulements internes basé sur les équations d’Euler (EIA) qui est utilisé ici pour la simulation de l’interaction tourbillon-tuyère. Une étude systématique de cette interaction a été menée pour une tuyère amorcée. Les résultats ont permis de proposer un modèle de sources localisées pour des ondes planes basé sur une analyse théorique des lois d’échelles de ces phénomènes. Les simulations de ces interactions tourbillons-tuyères ont été réalisées pour différents types de tuyères. En employant un bilan énergétique, un modèle avec un seul paramètre de contrôle est formulé, qui permet de reproduire qualitativement le comportement du cycle limite d’oscillations de pression observées dans des expériences réalisées avec des gaz froids décrites dans la littérature. Finalement le modèle Euler est utilisé pour comparer la production de son par interaction tourbillon-tuyère avec celle due à l’ingestion d’une onde d’entropie, appelée aussi tache d’entropie. Contrairement au cas des tourbillons, le bruit produit par ingestion de taches d’entropie n’est pas sensible au volume de la cavité d’une tuyère intégrée. Ces résultats indiquent que le bruit produit par les tourbillons est dominant dans le cas des SRMs étudiés. L’ensemble de ces travaux permet d’améliorer la compréhension des phénomènes d’interaction entre des non-homogénéités de l’écoulement et la tuyère. Elle permet surtout de déterminer quels sont les facteurs de l’écoulement et les éléments géométriques importants qui pilotent le niveau sonore produit par ces interactions. Les modèles développés dans ces travaux, avec divers degrés d’approximation et de complexité permettent d’enrichir la gamme des outils de conception des SRMs. / Solid Rocket Motors (SRMs) can display self-sustained acoustic oscillations driven by coupling between hydrodynamic instabilities of the internal flow and longitudinal acoustic standing waves. The hydrodynamic instabilities are triggered by the acoustic standing wave and results in the formation of coherent vortical structures. For nominal ranges of flow conditions the sound waves generated by the interaction between these vortices and the choked nozzle at the end of the combustion chamber reinforces the acoustic oscillation. Most available literature on this subject focuses on the threshold of instability using a linear model. The focus of this work is on the prediction of the limit-cycle amplitude. The limit-cycle is reached due to nonlinear saturation of the source, as a consequence of the formation of large coherent vortical structures. In this case the vortex-nozzle interaction becomes insensitive to the amplitude of the acoustic standing wave. Hence, one can focus on the sound generation of a vortex with the nozzle. Sound production can be predicted from an analytical two-dimensional planar incompressible frictionless model using the so-called Vortex Sound Theory. In this model the vorticity is assumed to be concentrated in a line vortex. Experiments indicate that the volume of cavities around so-called “integrated nozzles” have a large influence on the pulsation amplitude for large SRMs. This is due to the acoustical field normal to the vortex trajectory, induced by the compressibility of the gas in this cavity. As an alternative to the incompressible analytical model a compressible frictionless model with an internal Euler Aeroacoustic (EIA) flow solver is used for simulations of vortex-nozzle interaction. A dedicated numerical simulation study focusing on elementary processes such as vortex-nozzle and entropy spot-nozzle interaction allows a systematic variation of relevant parameters and yields insight which would be difficult by means of limit cycle studies of the full engine. A systematic study of the vortex-nozzle interaction in the case of a choked nozzle has been undertaken. The results are summarized by using a lumped element model for plane wave propagation, which is based on theoretical scaling laws. From EIA simulations it appears that sound due to vortex-nozzle interaction is mainly generated during the approach phase and that for the relevant parameter range there is no impingement of the vortex on the nozzle wall as has been suggested in the literature. Using an energy balance approach, a single fit-parameter model is formulated which qualitatively predicts limit-cycle observations in cold gas-scale experiments reported in the literature. Finally the Euler model is used to compare the sound production by vortex-nozzle interaction with that due to the ingestion of an entropy non-uniformity also called entropy spot. In addition to insight, this study provides a systematic procedure to develop a lumped element model for the sound source due to non-homogeneous flow-nozzle interactions in SRMs. Such lumped models based on experimental data or a limited number of flow simulations can be used to ease the design of SRMs.

Fast-bränsle-raketer (SRM) har funnit sin plats i en stor mängd tillämpningar sedan deras framkomst mer än 2000 år sedan. En SRMs prestanda är förutbestämd av geometrin av drivmedelskrutet och är begränsad av gjutningsmetoden, som idag främst används i produktion. Forskning inom 3D-skrivning av drivmedelskrut har undersökt nya komplexa geometrier som kan öka prestandan. Studier kring 3D-skrivning med UV-härdning är få till antalet och undersöks i detta projekt. Ett bindemedel av polyuretandiakrylat (PUDA) har syntetiserats och därefter karakteriserats, med och utan diverse monomerer genom dragprovsmätningar och differentialkalorimetri (DSC). Tillsats av tvärbindarna 1,6-hexandioldiakrylat (HDDA) samt trimetylolpropantriakrylat (TMPTA) till PUDA producerade ett mer sprött material. Denna skillnaden var mer påtaglig för TMPTA än HDDA, vilket tillskrivs den högre akrylatfunktionaliteten i den förstnämnda. Den kommersiella produkten Ebecryl 113 har karakteriserats med inerta fyllmedel. Härddjupet (DOC) undersöktes med Ebecryl 113 i ett experiment, vilket påvisade en minskning av härddjupet med ökande mängder aluminium. Orsaken är troligen de reflektiva egenskaperna för UV-ljus som aluminium innehar. Reologiska studier utfördes, från vilka en minskning i viskositet påvisades till följd av en ökad polydispersitet i partikelstorlekarna. 3D-skrivning med kolvextrudering och påföljande härdning med UV-strålning utforskades. Detta visade utmaningar med tekniken som behövs bemästras. I synnerhet uppmärksammades fasseparation och residuell härdning från reflekterat UV-ljus som begränsande faktorer för fortsatt arbete. / Solid rocket motors (SRMs) have found their place in many applications since their conception more than 2000 years ago. The performance of SRMs is determined by the geometry of the propellant grain and is limited by the cast-and-mould production method typically used today. Research has been made on 3D printing propellant grains to explore new complex geometries, which may increase performance. Studies on 3D printing techniques using UV curing are limited and are in this work investigated. A polyurethane diacrylate (PUDA) binder was synthesized and then characterized, with and without various monomers by tensile testing and differential scanning calorimetry. Additions of the crosslinkers 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate (HDDA) and trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA) to PUDA rendered the final product more brittle. This change was more noticeable for TMPTA than HDDA, as the former has a higher acrylate functionality. The commercial product Ebecryl 113 was also characterized with inert fillers added. A depth of cure (DOC) study with Ebecryl 113 was conducted, which showed a decrease in DOC with increasing amounts of aluminium. This is attributed to the reflective properties of aluminium in the UV spectrum. Rheological studies were conducted and a decrease in viscosity could be seen as a result of increasing the polydispersity of particle sizes. A 3D printing technique using plunger extrusion followed by UV curing was explored, which highlighted challenges which need to be overcome. Most notably, phase separation and residual curing from scattered UV rays are limiting factors for future work.

This thesis is concerned with the development and application of laser induced thermal grating spectroscopy (LITGS) as a tool for thermometry in reacting and non-reacting flows. LITGS signals, which require resonant excitation of an absorbing species in the measurement region to produce a thermal grating, are acquired for systematic measurements of temperature in high pressure flames using OH and NO as target absorbing species in the burned gas. The signal obtained in LITGS measurements appears in the form of a time-based signal with a characteristic frequency proportional to the value or the sound speed of the local medium. With knowledge of the gas composition, the temperature can be derived from the speed of sound measurement. LITGS thermometry using resonant excitation of OH in the burned gas region of in oxygen enriched CH4/O2/N2 and CH4/air laminar flames was performed at elevated pressure (0.5 MPa) for a range of conditions. Measurements were acquired in oxygen enriched flames to provide an environment in which to demonstrate LITGS thermometry under high temperature conditions (up to 2900 K). The primary parameters that influence the quality of LITGS signal were also investigated. The signal contrast, which acts as a marker for the strength of the frequency oscillations, is shown to increase with an increase in the burnt gas density at the measurement point. LITGS employing resonant excitation of NO is also demonstrated for quantitative measurements of temperature in three environments – a static pressure cell at ambient temperature, a non-reacting heated jet at ambient pressure and a laminar premixed CH4/NH3/air flame operating at 0.5 MPa. Flame temperature measurements were acquired at various locations in the burned gas close to a water-cooled stagnation plate, demonstrating the capability of NO-LITGS thermometry for measuring the spatial distribution of temperature in combustion environments. In addition, the parameters that in influence the local temperature rise due to LITGS were also investigated in continuous vapour flows of acetone/air and toluene/air mixtures at atmospheric conditions. Acetone and toluene are commonly targeted species in previous LITGS measurements due to their favourable absorption characteristics. Results indicate that LITGS has the potential to produce accurate and precise measurements of temperature in non-reacting flows, but that the product of the pump intensity at the probe volume and the absorber concentration must remain relatively low to avoid significant localised heating of the measurement region.

The present research project is carried out at the von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics (Rhode-Saint-Genèse, Belgium) with the financial support of the European Space Agency.<p><p>The first stage of spacecrafts (e.g. Ariane 5, Vega, Shuttle) generally consists of large solid propellant rocket motors (SRM), which often consist of segmented structure and incorporate a submerged nozzle. During the combustion, the regression of the solid propellant surrounding the nozzle integration part leads to the formation of a cavity around the nozzle lip. The propellant combustion generates liquefied alumina droplets coming from chemical reaction of the aluminum composing the propellant grain. The alumina droplets being carried away by the hot burnt gases are flowing towards the nozzle. Meanwhile the droplets may interact with the internal flow. As a consequence, some of the droplets are entrapped in the cavity forming an alumina puddle (slag) instead of being exhausted through the throat. This slag reduces the performances.<p><p>The aim of the present study is to characterize the slag accumulation process in a simplified model of the MPS P230 motor using primarily optical experimental techniques. Therefore, a 2D-like cold-gas model is designed, which represents the main geometrical features of the real motor (presence of an inhibitor, nozzle and cavity) and allows to approximate non-dimensional parameters of the internal two-phase flow (e.g. Stokes number, volume fraction). The model is attached to a wind-tunnel that provides quasi-axial flow (air) injection. A water spray device in the stagnation chamber realizes the models of the alumina droplets, which are accumulating in the aft-end cavity of the motor.<p><p>To be able to carry out experimental investigation, at first the the VKI Level Detection and Recording(LeDaR) and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurement techniques had to be adapted to the two-phase flow condition of the facility.<p><p>A parametric liquid accumulation assessment is performed experimentally using the LeDaR technique to identify the influence of various parameters on the liquid deposition rate. The obstacle tip to nozzle tip distance (OT2NT) is identified to be the most relevant, which indicates how much a droplet passing just at the inhibitor tip should deviate transversally to leave through the nozzle and not to be entrapped in the cavity.<p><p>As LeDaR gives no indication of the driving mechanisms, the flow field is analysed experimentally, which is supported by numerical simulations to understand the main driving forces of the accumulation process. A single-phase PIV measurement campaign provides detailed information about the statistical and instantaneous flow structures. The flow quantities are successfully compared to an equivalent 3D unsteady LES numerical model.<p><p>Two-phase flow CFD simulations suggest the importance of the droplet diameter on the accumulation rate. This observation is confirmed by two-phase flow PIV experiments as well. Accordingly, the droplet entrapment process is described by two mechanisms. The smaller droplets (representing a short characteristic time) appear to follow closely the air-phase. Thus, they may mix with the air-phase of the recirculation region downstream the inhibitor and can be carried into the cavity. On the other hand, the large droplets (representing a long characteristic time) are not able to follow the air-phase motion. Consequently, a large mean velocity difference is found between the droplets and the air-phase using the two-phase flow measurement data. Therefore, due to the inertia of the large droplets, they may fall into the cavity in function of the OT2NT and their velocity vector at the level of the inhibitor tip.<p><p>Finally, a third mechanism, dripping is identified as a contributor to the accumulation process. In the current quasi axial 2D-like set-up large drops are dripping from the inhibitor. In this configuration they are the main source of the accumulation process. Therefore, additional numerical simulations are performed to estimate the importance of dripping in more realistic configurations. The preliminary results suggest that dripping is not the main mechanism in the real slag accumulation process. However, it may still lead to a considerable contribution to the final amount of slag.<p> / Doctorat en Sciences de l'ingénieur / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished