Thermal radiation is expected to play a non-negligible role on hybrid rocket fuel pyrolysis and overall motor internal ballistics. The way such a role is related to different operating conditions needs to be investigated through dedicated analyses involving computational fluid dynamics and radiative heat transfer simulations. In the present paper a computational fluid dynamics solver with gas-surface interaction capabilities is coupled to a radiative heat transfer code relying on the discrete transfer method. The importance of modeling thermal radiation in the prediction of hybrid rocket internal ballistics is first shown by rebuilding a literature experimental test campaign. A numerical parametric analysis is then carried out allowing a clear identification of the effects of mass flux, chamber pressure and port diameter on both radiative wall heat flux and its relative magnitude with respect to the total wall heating.
展开▼
