Comparison of two procedures for predicting rocket engine nozzle performance

Abstract

Two nozzle performance prediction procedures which are based on the standardized JANNAF methodology are presented and compared for four rocket engine nozzles. The first procedure required operator intercedence to transfer data between the individual performance programs. The second procedure is more automated in that all necessary programs are collected into a single computer code, thereby eliminating the need for data reformatting. Results from both procedures show similar trends but quantitative differences. Agreement was best in the predictions of specific impulse and local skin friction coefficient. Other compared quantities include characteristic velocity, thrust coefficient, thrust decrement, boundary layer displacement thickness, momentum thickness, and heat loss rate to the wall. Effects of wall temperature profile used as an input to the programs was investigated by running three wall temperature profiles. It was found that this change greatly affected the boundary layer displacement thickness and heat loss to the wall. The other quantities, however, were not drastically affected by the wall temperature profile change.