An investigation of the interaction between a travelling shock wave and a solid rocket motor nozzle

A gasdynamic mechanism has been identified as a potential source of combustion instability in solid-propellant rocket motors (SRMs). This mechanism involves the reinforcement of a reflected shock wave in the nozzle convergence region of an SRM's exhaust nozzle. A shock tube apparatus was developed for the experimental component of this study. Various factors, such as the effect of different nozzle geometries and driven channel pressures, were examined. Also, a model of the shock tube was developed for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. These simulations were generated for comparison with the experimental results and to provide additional information regarding the nature of the flow behaviour. A gasdynamic mechanism has been identified as a potential source of combustion instability in solid-propellant rocket motors (SRMs). This mechanism involves the reinforcement of a reflected shock wave in the nozzle convergence region of an SRM's exhaust nozzle.A shock tube apparatus was developed for the experimental component of this study. Various factors, such as the effect of different nozzle geometries and driven channel pressures, were examined. Also, a model of the shock tube was developed for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. These simulations were generated for comparison with the experimental results and to provide additional information regarding the nature of the flow behaviour.Experimental and numerical pressure-time profiles confirm the appearance of transient radial wave activity following the initial incidence of the normal shock wave on the convergence region of the nozzle. The results establish that the strength of this activity is markedly dependent upon the nozzle convergence wall angle and the location within the shock tube