液体火箭反推进再入过程底部热环境与流动特性

doi:10.7527/S1000-6893.2025.32772

Abstract

Abstract:

Reusable liquid-propellant launch vehicles constitute a pivotal direction for future space transportation systems. During vertical re-entry of a rocket， the aft-mounted engines descend in an irregular configuration facing the freestream. The local thermal environment and flow characteristics are highly complex. A simulation study of the flow over a Falcon 9 v1.2 derived geometry was conducted for four representative re-entry phases： high-altitude powered deceleration， high-altitude aerodynamic deceleration， low-altitude aerodynamic deceleration， and low-altitude powered deceleration. The vehicle thermal environment is markedly transient and non-uniform： plume morphology evolves continuously with altitude and engine operating condition. Powered deceleration phases exhibit substantially stronger flow disturbances and heat-flux maxima than aerodynamic deceleration phases owing to intense plume-freestream coupling. Secondary combustion exerts a global thermal influence on the far-field plume at low altitude. Across the four characteristic stages， the peak heat flux persistently localizes at the nozzle lip and the aft-edge of the rocket base， reaching 380 kW/m²， these data constitute a quantitative basis for engine thermal-protection design.

Key words: reusable, rocket recovery, vertical re-entry, thermal environment, flow characteristics

CLC Number:

V475.1

Hao ZHENG, Yong TANG, Xiangnan CHEN, Ji LI, Zhiqiang LIN, Baolu SHI. Base-region thermal environment and flow characteristics of liquid rocket in retro-propulsion re-entry process[J]. Acta Aeronautica et Astronautica Sinica, 2026, 47(8): 132772.

Figures/Tables 17

Fig.1

Fig.2

Table 1

Geometric model parameters

参数	数值
箭体长度L_r/m	46
箭体直径D_r/m	3.66
夹角θ/（ $°$ ）	45
喷管入口直径D_c/mm	422
喷管出口直径D_e/mm	960
喷管壁面厚度H_n/mm	20
喷管扩张比	16

Table 1

Fig.3

Table 2

Fig.4

Table 3

Table 4

Fig.5

Fig.6

Fig.7

Fig.8

Fig.9

Fig.10

Fig.11

Fig.12

Fig.13

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工况	阶段	高度/km	中心机c推力比/%	分机1、5推力比/%	静压/Pa	马赫数
1	高空动力减速	40.0	100	100	287.14	2.83
2	高空动力减速	36.8	100	100	445.52	2.39
3	高空气动减速	36.8	0	0	445.52	2.39
4	低空气动减速	10.0	0	0	26 499.90	1.34
5	低空气动减速	3.2	0	0	68 357.80	0.96
6	低空动力减速	3.2	100	0	68 357.80	0.96

参数	Ecker数据^［24-25］	RPA热力计算	CFD计算
海平面比冲	282.3	296.8	295.3
真空比冲	304.5	303.8
海平面推力系数	1.56	1.62	1.75

反应方程式	指前因子Ar/（m³·kmol^-1·s^-1）	温度指数N_T	活化能E_A/（10⁵ J·kmol^-1）
H₂+O = OH+H	5.17×10⁸	2.27	291.00
H+O₂= OH+O	3.18×10¹¹	-0.49	675.00
OH+H₂= H₂O+H	5.89×10⁸	1.88	132.00
OH+OH = H₂O+O	3.40×10⁷	2.26	-74.70
O+H+M = OH+M	1.58×10¹⁰	-1.00	0
H+H+M = H₂+M	4.96×10⁵	-1.21	25.60
H+OH+M = H₂O+M	7.83×10¹¹	-2.54	5.05
O+O+M = O₂+M	1.89×10⁷	0	-74.80
CO+OH = CO₂+H	5.19×10⁶	2.22	-578.00
CO+O+M = CO₂+M	6.17×10⁸	0	126.00

Base-region thermal environment and flow characteristics of liquid rocket in retro-propulsion re-entry process

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