Investigation of the effects of alumina particle phase transition on internal flow field and engine performance in solid rocket motors

This study integrates theoretical modeling with numerical simulation methods to establish a comprehensive phase change dynamics model. The model encompasses critical stages of the phase change process, including undercooling, nucleation, solidification, and crystal phase transformation. We also utilize the latest drag coefficient model and heat transfer model in the two-phase flow field. Through numerical simulation, we delve into the impact of the phase change process of monodisperse particles on the flow field characteristics within a nozzle, extending our investigation to polydisperse particles phase change process. Furthermore, we systematically analyze the specific effects of variations in particle size distribution and particle loading on nozzle performance. In our simulation results, the most significant specific impulse enhancement was achieved under conditions of d43 = 2.63 μm and 20% particle loading, resulting in a specific impulse increase in approximately 0.53% compared to scenarios neglecting phase change. This work provides a solid theoretical foundation for accurately evaluating engine performance through numerical simulation.