Numerical Study of Multi-Material Solid Rocket Motors Featuring Complex Grain Structures

As the demand for more efficient and customizable solid propulsion systems increases, interest in new complex geometries of the propellant grain is growing. Advanced additive manufacturing techniques allow the production of Solid Rocket Motors (SRMs) with innovative freeform and complex geometries that are unattainable with traditional casting methods. Furthermore, the capability to fabricate intricate geometries featuring multiple interwoven fuel layers has emerged. To gain a deeper understanding of the effects of these geometric optimizations and fuel combination enhancements on the thrust curve and the fluid dynamic effects, we utilize a numerical Modell, developed at ICT, based on the Coupled-Level-Set-and-Volume-of-Fluid (CLSVOF) approach. This Modell simulates the interactions between surface regression, variations in combustion chamber geometry, as well as their impact on the flow of hot gases within the motor and through the nozzle. In this study, we discuss and compare various scenarios involving different internal fuel geometries composed of multiple printed fuel layers in a SRM.