The present research is an experimental and numerical study of aeroacoustic phenomena occurring in large solid rocket motors (SRM) as the Ariane 5 boosters. The emphasis is given to aeroacoustic instabilities that may lead to pressure and thrust oscillations which reduce the rocket motor performance and could damage the payload. The study is carried out within the framework of a CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales) research program. Large SRM are composed of a submerged nozzle and segmented propellant grains separated by inhibitors. During propellant combustion, a cavity appears around the nozzle. Vortical flow structures may be formed from the inhibitor (Obstacle Vortex Shedding OVS) or from natural instability of the radial flow resulting from the propellant combustion (Surface Vortex Shedding SVS). Such hydrodynamic manifestations drive pressure oscillations in the confined flow established in the motor. When the vortex shedding frequency synchronizes acoustic modes of the motor chamber, resonance may occur and sound pressure can be amplified by vortex nozzle interaction. Original analytical models, in particular based on vortex sound theory, point out the parameters controlling the flow-acoustic coupling and the effect of the nozzle design on sound production. They allow the appropriate definition of experimental tests. The experiments are conducted on axisymmetric cold flow models respecting the Mach number similarity with the Ariane 5 SRM. The test section includes only one inhibitor and a submerged nozzle. The flow is either created by an axial air injection at the forward end or by a radial injection uniformly distributed along chamber porous walls. The internal Mach number can be varied continuously by means of a movable needle placed in the nozzle throat. Acoustic pressure measurements are taken by means of PCB piezoelectric transducers. A particle image velocimetry technique (PIV) is used to analyse the effect of the acoustic resonance on the mean flow field and vortex properties. An active control loop is exploited to obtain resonant and non resonant conditions for the same operating point. Finally, numerical simulations are performed using a time dependent Navier Stokes solver. The analysis of the unsteady simulations provides pressure spectra, sequence of vorticity fields and average flow field. Comparison to experimental data is conducted. The OVS and SVS instabilities are identified. The inhibitor parameters, the chamber Mach number and length, and the nozzle geometry are varied to analyse their effect on the flow acoustic coupling. The conclusions state that flow acoustic coupling is mainly observed for nozzles including cavity. The nozzle geometry has an effect on the pressure oscillations through a coupling between the acoustic fluctuations induced by the cavity volume and the vortices travelling in front of the cavity entrance. When resonance occurs, the sound pressure level increases linearly with the chamber Mach number, the frequency and the cavity volume. In absence of cavity, the pressure fluctuations are damped.

Les moteurs à propergol solide de certains lanceurs spatiaux peuvent présenter des oscillations de poussée provoquées par des oscillations de la pression interne du moteur. Il est désormais connu qu'une instabilité hydrodynamique propre à l'écoulement et mise en évidence par une approche de stabilité linéaire, appelée Vortex Shedding Parietal, est le phénomène à l'origine de ces oscillations. Cependant plusieurs questions subsistent quant à l'apparition de ces oscillations. En particulier, on constate que ces oscillations ne sont observées que dans la seconde moitié du tir. On suppose que la transition laminaire-turbulent de l'écoulement joue un rôle dans ce phénomène. Par ailleurs, l'utilisation possible de la géométrie étoilée pour les blocs de propergol de géométrie étoilée oblige à reprendre l'étude de stabilité linéaire pour l'étude de ces oscillations. Cette thèse porte ainsi à la fois sur l'étude de la stabilité linéaire de l'écoulement induit par une géométrie étoilée et sur la transition laminaire-turbulent d'une configuration circulaire. Une solution analytique de l'écoulement au sein d'un conduit à paroi débitante de géométrie étoilée est d'abord obtenue. Le profil de vitesse associé peut présenter des points d'inflexion en fonction de la déformation radiale ou du nombre de Reynolds de l'écoulement. Ensuite les approches de stabilité linéaire locale et biglobale sont appliquées à cette solution. Par rapport au cas circulaire, cette étude de stabilité linéaire met en évidence la possible existence d'un ou plusieurs modes amplifiés. Enfin, une simulation numérique LES de la transition laminaire-turbulent de la configuration du montage VALDO est effectuée. / Solid rocket motors may exhibit thrust oscillations induced by pressure oscillations inside the engine. In the scientific literature, the so-called vortex shedding parietal, a hydrodynamic instability specific to the internal flow, has been proven to be the triggering mechanism through linear stability analyses. However, some questions still remain. These oscillations are observed during the second half of Ariane 5 launches only, the laminar-turbulent transition of the intern flow being expected to play a significant role in that behavior. Additionally, non-circular grain shapes used in some engines may impact the stability study. The present PhD work extends the base flow linear stability studies to star-shaped geometries and investigate transition mechanisms in a circular configuration. Firstly, an analytical expression of the base flow in a duct with a star-shaped cross-section is determined. Wall-normal injection is assumed, which is representative of solid rocket engines. The velocity profile may exhibit an inflection point depending on both the Reynolds number and wall radial deformation. Secondly, both local and biglobal stability analyses are applied to this flow. In contrast to the circular case, the flow may exhibit one or several unstable modes. Lastly, a large eddy simulation of the VALDO experimental test bench is performed. The influence of the acoustic impedance of the outflow boundary condition on the amplitude of pressure oscillations is highlighted.

Cette thèse vise à modéliser les instabilités hydrodynamiques générant des détachements tourbillonnaires pariétaux (ou VSP) responsables des Oscillations De Pression dans les moteurs à propergol solide longs et segmentés par interaction avec l’acoustique du moteur. Ces instabilités sont modélisées en tant que modes de stabilité linéaire globaux de l’écoulement d’un conduit à parois débitantes. En supposant que les structures pariétales émergent d’une perturbation de l’écoulement de base, des modes discrets et indépendants du maillage utilisé sont calculés. Dans ce but, une discrétisation par collocation spectrale multi-domaine est implémentée dans un solveur parallèle afin de s’affranchir de la croissance polynomiale des fonctions propres et de la présence de couches limites. Les valeurs propres ainsi calculées dépendent explicitement des frontières du domaine, à savoir la position de la perturbation et celle de la sortie, et sont ensuite validées par simulation numérique directe. On montre alors qu’elles permettent bien de décrire la réponse à une perturbation initiale de l’écoulement modifié par une rupture de débit pariétale. Ensuite, la simulation d’une réponse forcée par l’acoustique se fait sous forme de structures tourbillonnaires dont les fréquences discrètes sont en accord avec celles des modes de stabilité. Ces structures sont réfléchies en ondes de pression de même fréquences remontant l’écoulement. Finalement, la simulation numérique et la théorie de la stabilité permettent de montrer que le VSP, dont la réponse est linéaire vis-à-vis d’un forçage compressible comme l’acoustique, est le phénomène moteur des Oscillations De Pression. / The current work deals with the modeling of the hydrodynamic instabilities that play a major role in the triggering of the Pressure Oscillations occurring in large segmented solid rocket motors. These instabilities are responsible for the emergence of Parietal Vortex Shedding (PVS) and they interact with the boosters acoustics. They are first modeled as eigenmodes of the internal steady flowfield of a cylindrical duct with sidewall injection within the global linear stability theory framework. Assuming that the related parietal structures emerge from a baseflow disturbance, discrete meshindependant eigenmodes are computed. In this purpose, a multi-domain spectral collocation technique is implemented in a parallel solver to tackle numerical issues such as the eigenfunctions polynomial axial amplification and the existence of boundary layers. The resulting eigenvalues explicitly depend on the location of the boundaries, namely those of the baseflow disturbance and the duct exit, and are then validated by performing Direct Numerical Simulations. First, they successfully describe flow response to an initial disturbance with sidewall velocity injection break. Then, the simulated forced response to acoustics consists in vortical structures wihich discrete frequencies that are in good agreement with those of the eigenmodes. These structures are reflected into upstream pressure waves with identical frequencies. Finally, the PVS, which response to a compressible forcing such as the acoustic one is linear, is understood as the driving phenomenon of the Pressure Oscillations thanks to both numerical simulation and stability theory.

The present research is an experimental and numerical study of aeroacoustic phenomena occurring in large solid rocket motors (SRM) as the Ariane 5 boosters. The emphasis is given to aeroacoustic instabilities that may lead to pressure and thrust oscillations which reduce the rocket motor performance and could damage the payload. The study is carried out within the framework of a CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales) research program. <p><p>Large SRM are composed of a submerged nozzle and segmented propellant grains separated by inhibitors. During propellant combustion, a cavity appears around the nozzle. Vortical flow structures may be formed from the inhibitor (Obstacle Vortex Shedding OVS) or from natural instability of the radial flow resulting from the propellant combustion (Surface Vortex Shedding SVS). Such hydrodynamic manifestations drive pressure oscillations in the confined flow established in the motor. When the vortex shedding frequency synchronizes acoustic modes of the motor chamber, resonance may occur and sound pressure can be amplified by vortex nozzle interaction.<p><p>Original analytical models, in particular based on vortex sound theory, point out the parameters controlling the flow-acoustic coupling and the effect of the nozzle design on sound production. They allow the appropriate definition of experimental tests.<p><p>The experiments are conducted on axisymmetric cold flow models respecting the Mach number similarity with the Ariane 5 SRM. The test section includes only one inhibitor and a submerged nozzle. The flow is either created by an axial air injection at the forward end or by a radial injection uniformly distributed along chamber porous walls. The internal Mach number can be varied continuously by means of a movable needle placed in the nozzle throat. Acoustic pressure measurements are taken by means of PCB piezoelectric transducers. A particle image velocimetry technique (PIV) is used to analyse the effect of the acoustic resonance on the mean flow field and vortex properties. An active control loop is exploited to obtain resonant and non resonant conditions for the same operating point.<p><p>Finally, numerical simulations are performed using a time dependent Navier Stokes solver. The analysis of the unsteady simulations provides pressure spectra, sequence of vorticity fields and average flow field. Comparison to experimental data is conducted.<p><p>The OVS and SVS instabilities are identified. The inhibitor parameters, the chamber Mach number and length, and the nozzle geometry are varied to analyse their effect on the flow acoustic coupling.<p><p>The conclusions state that flow acoustic coupling is mainly observed for nozzles including cavity. The nozzle geometry has an effect on the pressure oscillations through a coupling between the acoustic fluctuations induced by the cavity volume and the vortices travelling in front of the cavity entrance. When resonance occurs, the sound pressure level increases linearly with the chamber Mach number, the frequency and the cavity volume. In absence of cavity, the pressure fluctuations are damped.<p><p> / Doctorat en sciences appliquées / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished