Internal flow field studies in a simulated cylindrical port rocket chamber

The present experimental characterization of the mean and fluctuating flow field along the length of a simulated cylindrical port rocket chamber employed flow simulations in which ambient-temperature nitrogen was uniformly injected along the walls of a porous-tube chamber connected to a choked sonic nozzle. The data obtained indicate that velocity fluctuations near the head of the chamber generally decrease in intensity relative to the centerline speed over the first five port diameters. Regular velocity fluctuations then appear near the wall, just ahead of the transition to turbulent flow; vortical disturbances are noted to exhibit pairing as they move away from the wall. Both buoyant flow influences and flow spinning are discovered in the forward portions of the chamber. (O.C.)