Computational investigation on combustion instabilities in a rocket combustor

High frequency combustion instability is viewed as the most challenging task in the development of Liquid Rocket Engines. In this article, results of attempts to capture the self-excited high frequency combustion instability in a rocket combustor are shown. The presence of combustion instability was demonstrated using point measurements, along with Fast Fourier Transform analysis and instantaneous flowfield contours. A baseline case demonstrates a similar wall heat flux profile as the associated experimental case. The acoustic oscillation modes and corresponding frequencies predicted by current simulations are almost the same as the results obtained from classic acoustic analysis. Pressure wave moving back and forth across the combustor was also observed. Then this baseline case was compared against different fuel-oxidizer velocity ratios. It predicts a general trend: the smaller velocity ratio produces larger oscillation amplitudes than the larger one. A possible explanation for the trend was given using the computational results.