Coupled simulations of solid rocket motors

We describe simulations of solid rocket motors that involve coupling between the core fluid flow, the structural response of the propellant and case, and the combustion of the propellant. A partitioned predictorcorrector algorithm is employed to treat the fluidstructure interaction. The combustion rate of the propellant is coupled to the fluid flow via an empirical power law relationship. Our algorithm couples the physical processes involved using a partitioned approach, enabling us to use existing codes to perform the bulk of our simulations. We give special consideration to the jump conditions that hold at the fluid-structure-combustion interface, and specialize them for the early burn phase. The interface between the eroding solid and the fluid is treated using an ALE formulation, which provides a consistent technique for handling the eroding solid. Data are presented that demonstrate the parallel performance of our code on a variety of architectures. Results from simulations of the space shuttle solid rocket motor demonstrate the applicability of our approach. Future extensions of the simulation capability to include thermal effects, turbulence and material failure will be discussed.