Numerical simulation of underexpanded plumes using upwind algorithms

Abstract

The solution of the flow characteristics of highly underexpanded plumes is presently sought by means of a high-resolution total variation-diminishing upwind scheme featuring finite-volume metrics, Roe averaging with entropy correction, and monotonic upstream schemes for conservation laws. The existing approximate factorization schemes are used both as preconditioners and in order to apply the conjugate residual algorithm. The plumes treated are axisymmetric and laminar, and for an ideal gas that is allowed to be thermally incomplete. Simulations of the SSME and SRB plumes have been successfully conducted.