Browsing by Author "Tshokotsha, Mvuyisi Humprey"
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- ItemInternal ballistic modelling of solid rocket motors using level set methods for simulating grain burnback(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2016-03) Tshokotsha, Mvuyisi Humprey; Maritz, Milton Frick; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Science. Department Mathematical Science. Applied MathematicsENGLISH ABSTRACT : Solid Rocket Motors are propulsive systems providing thrust from products exiting through a nozzle, obtained by burning a solid fuel (the grain) inside a chamber. Various thrust profiles can be obtained by different initial grain geometries. The purpose of numerical modelling, is to predict the thrust curve, given an initial geometry. A simplified model for Solid Rocket Motor behaviour is developed. The grain geometry is represented by a signed distance function, and the burning surface geometry is calculated using a numerical solution of the burning process based on level-set methods. The gas flux is modelled using a 1-D approximation of the gas dynamics inside the chamber, following a method proposed by Lamberty. 2D and 3D models for modelling the regression of the grain surface over time are developed. The evolution of different grain geometries are simulated and the results obtained are compared to the experimental data available. The burning surface and port area for some grain geometries is calculated analytically and the results found are compared with the ones found numerically using 2D model of the level set method.