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Pardhasaradhi Natta, V.Ranjith Kumar, Dr.Y.V.Hanumantha Rao / International Journal of
Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA) ISSN: 2248-9622 www.ijera.com
Vol. 2, Issue 5, September- October 2012, pp.1226-1235
Flow Analysis of Rocket Nozzle Using Computational Fluid
Dynamics (Cfd)
Pardhasaradhi Natta*, V.Ranjith Kumar**, Dr.Y.V.Hanumantha Rao***
*(Department of Mechanical Engineering, koneru lakshmiahUniversity, Guntur)
** (Assistant professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, koneru lakshmiahUniversity, Guntur)
*** (professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, koneru lakshmiahUniversity, Guntur)

ABSTRACT
A nozzle is used to give the direction to the gases Laval found that the most efficient conversion
coming out of the combustion chamber.Nozzle is occurred when the nozzle first narrowed, increasing
a tube with variable cross-sectional area. Nozzles the speed of the jet to the speed of sound, and then
are generally used to control the rate of flow, expanded again. Above the speed of sound (but not
speed, direction, mass, shape, and/or the pressure below it) this expansion caused a further increase in
of the exhaust stream that emerges from the speed of the jet and led to a very efficient
them.The nozzle is used to convert the chemical- conversion of heat energy to motion. The theory of
thermal energy generated in the combustion air resistance was first proposed by Sir Isaac
chamber into kinetic energy. The nozzle converts Newton in 1726. According to him, an aerodynamic
the low velocity, high pressure, high temperature force depends on the density and velocity of the
gas in the combustion chamber into high velocity fluid, and the shape and the size of the displacing
gas of lower pressure and low temperature.Our object. Newton’s theory was soon followed by other
study is carried using software’s like gambit 2.4 theoretical solution of fluid motion problems. All
for designing of the nozzle and fluent 6.3.2 for these were restricted to flow under idealized
analyzing the flows in the nozzle.Numerical study conditions, i.e. air was assumed to posses constant
has been conducted to understand the air flows density and to move in response to pressure
in a conical nozzle at different divergence degrees and inertia. Nowadays steam turbines are the
of angle using two-dimensional axisymmetric preferred power source of electric power stations
models, which solves the governing equations by and large ships, although they usually have a
a control volume method. The nozzle geometry different design-to make best use of the fast steam
co-ordinates are taken by using of method of jet, de Laval’s turbine had to run at an impractically
characteristics which usually designed for De- high speed. But for rockets the de Laval nozzle was
Laval nozzle. The present study is aimed at just what was needed.
investigating the supersonic flow in conical
nozzle for Mach number 3 at various divergence
degree of angle. The throat diameter and inlet II. MATERIAL AND METHODS
diameter is same for all nozzles with various MATHEMATICAL MODEL
divergence degree of angles. The flow is A mathematical model comprises equations
simulated using fluent software. The flow relating the dependent and the independent variables
parameters like pressure , Area of nozzle at exit and the relevant parameters that describe some
are defined prior to the simulation. physical phenomenon. Typically, a mathematical
The result shows the variation in the Mach model consists of differential equations that govern
number, pressure, temperature distribution and the behavior of the physical system, and the
turbulence intensity. associated boundary conditions. To start with fluent,
it is necessary to know if the meshed geometry is
Key words —conical nozzle, degree of angle, correct, so is checked. To ensue with, we are to
supersonic flow, Mach number, Control Volume define the model, material, operating condition and
boundary condition. Models are to be set in order to
I. INTRODUCTION define if any energy equation is dealt with our study,
Swedish engineer of French descent who, if the flow is viscous…etc. We have chosen coupled
in trying to develop a more efficient steam engine, solver, 2d implicit, absolute velocity formulation,
designed a turbine that was turned by jets of steam. cell based gradient option, superficial velocity
The critical component – the one in which heat porous formulation. As our flow is dealt with energy
energy of the hot high-pressure steam from the equation so is necessary to check them up. The
boiler was converted into kinetic energy – was the material is selected as air and the density as ideal
nozzle from which the jet blew onto the wheel. De gas to make the solution simpler. Under the solve

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command the control is selected for limiting the
pressure to a maximum of 5e+7 and Minimum of
1e+4. The initialization of value is computed from
the inlet. It is also necessary to select the appropriate The following are the results of nozzle with
approximation required in the residual command divergence angle of 7 degrees.
under monitors and check in plot to visualize the
progress of iteration. Once every parameter is VELOCITY COUNTOUR
described the iteration is performed till the value
gets converged to required approximation. The
Figures can be plotted between position in x-axis
and any other function in y-axis from plot command
or else to view vectors, contours or grid display
command is to be chosen.

III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The geometry of the grid is designed by the
help of gambit tool and is made by using of method
of characteristics which usually designed for De-
Laval nozzle. On the same basic we take the throat
co-ordinates and exit co-ordinates for designing this
nozzle and after calculating, we get an angle nearly
7. and simulate it using Fluent software and after Figure: Velocity Contour For Nozzle With
this we take minimum degree of angle for conical Divergence Angle 7 Degrees.
nozzle i.e.7.0 and check the variation in Mach
Number and other properties to

CASE 1

Figure XY Plot for Velocity contours For Nozzle
with Divergence Angle of 7 Degrees.

In this, the nozzle is designed for Mach
no. 3. From Figure, it is clearly visualized that in the
convergent section at inlet point, Mach number, is in
the Sub-sonic region (=0.35) while at the throat,
Figure 1:nozzle at 70 grid display flow becomes Sonic (=1.02) and at the nozzle exit it
becomes Super-Sonic (=2.90) for which the nozzle
is designed. Near the wall, the Mach number is 1.65.
This is due to the viscosity and turbulence in the
fluid.

From the graph it is clearly observed that the
velocity is increased.

Figure 2:nozzle at 7 residual

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STATIC PRESSURE: TOTAL TEMPERATURE

Figure : Static Pressure Contour For Nozzle With
Divergence Angle Of 7 Degrees.

FIGURE: Temperature Contour For Nozzle With
Divergence Angle Of 7 Degrees

Figure: XY Plot For Static Pressure With
Divergence Angl Of 7 Degrees.

Static pressure is the pressure that is
exerted by a fluid. Specifically, it is the pressure
measured when the fluid is still, or at rest. The FIGURE : Xy Plot For Total Temperature With
above Figure reveals the fact that the gas gets Divergence Angle Of 7 Degrees.
expanded in the nozzle exit. The static pressure in
the inlet is observed to be 108 Pa and as we move The total temperature almost remains a
towards the throat there is a decrease and the value constant in the inlet up to the throat after which it
at the throat is found out to be 56 Pa. After the tends to increase. Near the walls the temperature
throat, there is sudden expansion and the static increases to 302 K. In the inlet and the throat the
pressure falls in a more rapid manner towards the temperature is 300 K. After the throat, the
exit of the nozzle. At the exit it is found to be 3.75 temperature increases to 301K at the exit. As we
Pa. move from the centre vertically upwards at the exit,
there is variation. At the centre it is 300 K, at the
walls it is 302 K and moving inward a little bit from
the wall the temperature reaches a maximum of 301
K.

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Turbulence intensity CASE 2:
The following are the results of nozzle with
divergence angle of 20 degrees.

VELOCITY COUNTOUR

Figure Turbulence Intensity Contour With

Figure: Velocity contour For Nozzle with
Divergence Angle of 20 Degrees

Figure XY Plot For Turbulence Intensity
With Divergence Angle Of 7 Degrees.

The turbulent intensity at the convergent
section is very low (=1.01e+03 %). Almost till the
throat it remains almost a constant. At the throat Figure: XY Plot for Velocity contour With
there is a very small increase to 1.25e+03 %. As Divergence Angle of 20 Degrees
soon as it crosses the throat, there is a sudden
increase in the turbulent intensity due to the sudden From the Figure, it is clearly observed that
increase in the area. As we move towards the exit, Mach number in the convergent section is 0.24
there is a small patch in the centre where the (Sub-Sonic), at the throat it is 1.15(Sonic) and as we
turbulent intensity increases (1.48e+03 %) and then move in the divergent section, it keeps increasing
as the fluid stabilizes near the exit, there is a and at the exit it is 2.84(Super-Sonic). Parallel flow
decrease in the turbulent intensity (1.25e+03 %). is observed which is a characteristic of the conical
Near the walls the turbulent intensity is high due to nozzle and its design purpose (for Mach 3) is also
the reversals of flow. At the exit near the walls the solved. Mach number near the wall is less due to the
turbulent intensity reaches a maximum (=4.56e+03 viscosity and the turbulence (=1.54). The Mach
%). number for the default angle turns out to be 2.90 but
for a divergence angle of 20 degrees it comes out to
be 2.84. This is due to the change in the geometry
due to which flow also changes.

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STATIC PRESSURE

Figure: Static Pressure Contour with Divergence
Angle of 20 Degrees Figure: XY Plot For Total Temperature With

The total temperature almost remains a
constant in the inlet up to the throat. Increase is
observed after some distance from the throat
towards the exit as seen in the above Figure Near
the walls the temperature decreases to 298 K. In the
inlet and the throat the temperature is 300 K. After
the throat, the temperature increases to 302K at the
exit. At the exit, moving vertically upward there is
variation. The maximum value is not attained at the
centre but at some distance from the centre. At the
Figure: XY Plot for Static Pressure With centre it is 301 K and at the wall it is 298 K. The
Divergence Angle Of 20 Degrees. maximum value of 302 K is attained near the walls
but some distance away from it. There is not much
The above Figure shows that the gas gets difference in the total temperature contour when
over expanded in the nozzle exit. The static pressure compared to the default nozzle but the fact that in
in the inlet is observed to be 106 Pa and the value at the default nozzle, the temperature increases as soon
the throat is found out to be 65.2 Pa. At the exit the as the throat is crossed but in this it is clearly
pressure is found to be 8.85 Pa. Right from the inlet observed that there is a beginning in the rise in
to the throat to the exit the static pressure tends to temperature after some distance from the throat.
decrease. There is a considerable decrease observed
after the throat to the exit where there is a large drop Turbulence intensity
in the static pressure. As compared to the previous
case there is a change in the exit static pressure
value.

TOTAL TEMPERATURE

Figure: Total Temperature Contour With Divergence
Angle Of 20 Degrees.

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Figure : XY plot for turbulence intensity With
Divergence Angle Of 20 Degrees. Figure : XY Plot For Velocity contour With
section is 8.17e+01 % which is low. It remains a The region in the inlet is sub-sonic and has
constant almost up to the throat. At the throat it an inlet value of 0.23. As it nears the throat it
increases to 8.75e+02 %. Since there is an increase becomes sonic and at the throat it is 1.51 and the
in the area, there is also an increase in the turbulent exit is super-sonic and it exits with a Mach number
intensity as we move towards the exit from the of 3.06. The motive of the design of the conical
throat. There is a difference when compared to the nozzle is also achieved with parallel flow. There are
default nozzle. There is a larger increase in the area irregularities near the walls due to the reversals of
just after in the default case where as the increase in flow. The Mach number as observed in the previous
the area is more gradual in the divergence angle of 7 case of divergence angle of 20 degrees was 2.84
case. As we move towards the exit, there is a small which is less than the present case.
patch in the centre extending from the throat to
almost the centre between the throat and the exit STATIC PRESSURE:
where the turbulent intensity increases (1.93e+03 %)
and as we exit there is stabilization of the fluid near
the exit of the nozzle (1.67e+03 %). The turbulent
intensity reaches a maximum of 4.84e+03 % near
the walls as there is reversal of flow and turbulence
due to the walls.

CASE 3:

Figure: Static Pressure Contour With Divergence
Angle Of 30 Degrees

Figure : Velocity Contour With Divergence Angle
of 30 Degrees

Figure: XY Plot of Static Pressure With Divergence
Angle Of 30 Degrees

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The static pressure contour is also similar Turbulence intensity:
to that of the previous version. It decreases to the
throat and then continues to decrease till the exit.
The value at the inlet is 106 Pa and at the throat it is
55 Pa. There is also a steep decrease after the throat
where the static pressure reduces to 2.72 Pa at
halfway around outlet and remains the same till the
exit. There is a slight decrease in the minimum
value of static pressure from 8.8 to 2.24 pa.
Total temperature:


Figure : Total Temparature Contour With

Figure XY Plot of Turbulence Intensity With

section is 1.01e+03 % which is very low. It remains
Figure: XY Plot of Total Temperature With a constant almost up to the throat. At the throat it
Divergence Angle of 30 Degrees increases to 1.25e+03%. There is an increase in the
value after the throat as there is a sudden expansion
There is a lot of variation in the total to a bigger area than the nozzle. There is also a
temperature plot. In the previous case it was difference in the pattern when compared to the 7
observed that there is an increment in the nozzle. There were patches in the 1st 2 nozzles
temperature after the throat and midway from the (default and 20) but here there are no patches and
exit but in this case, there is a difference. Here the the flow stabilization which was observed towards
temperature tends to increase just after inlet. After the end of the nozzle in the other nozzles is not
this it remains a constant till the exit except near the observed here as the increase is right from the throat
walls where it increases further and then decreases to the exit. The maximum value however is reached
as we move from the centre to the wall. The value at near the walls as the reversals cause more
the inlet is 300 K and then increases near the inlet to turbulence. The exit turbulent Intensity value at the
300.25 K. At the throat as well as the exit, the value centre is 1.49e+03%. Moving vertically upward (or)
remains the same. The maximum value attained is downward at the exit, at the centre it is 1.49e+03 %
301 K which is, moving vertically from the wall, which remains a constant up to some distance after
some distance from it before which the value steeply which there is a slight decrease to 1.73e+03% and
increases up to the maximum value and then again it decrease after which there is a steep increase
decreases a little. The maximum value has reduced a up to the wall where it attains a maximum value to
little by 1 K considering this case and the previous 5.32e+03 %. There is an increase in the maximum
case of divergence angle of 20 degrees. value when compared to the previous nozzle.

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Figure: Total Temperature Contour With

CASE 4:
VELOCITY COUNTOUR

Figure: XY Plot Of Total Temperature With

The total temperature contour is also
similar to the previous version. There is uniformity
observed from the inlet to some distance from the
Figure : Velocity Contour With Divergence Angle throat where it remains a constant whose value is
of 40 Degrees 300 K. After which it increases to 301 K in the
centre. The maximum value of 302 K is attained
some distance from the wall. There is decrease near
the wall. Vertically moving from the centre, it is 301
K up to more than the upper (or) lower half after
which it reaches the maximum value of 302 K and
then it decreases to the wall where it has a value of
297 K. The variation is similar in the case of 30
nozzles also.

STATIC PRESSURE

Figure: XY Plot For Velocity contour With

From Figure it can be seen that there is
parallel flow. The Mach number at the inlet is 0.383
which is Sub-Sonic, 1.42 at the throat and 3.10 at
the exit. There is a decrease in the value of Mach
number near the walls. Its value is 1.71. Turbulence
and viscosity are the cause for this decrease. The
Mach number has increased in this case to 3.10
where as it was 2.84 in the case of divergence angle Figure: Static Pressure Contour With Divergence
of 30 degrees. Angle of 40 Degrees

TOTAL TEMPERATURE

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Figure: XY Plot For Static Pressure With wall. This is because there is reversal of flow as well
Divergence Angle Of 40 Degrees as turbulence near the wall.
There is a continuous decrease in the value
of static pressure from the inlet to the throat and to RESULT TABLE:
the exit. At the inlet it is 106 Pa. It then keeps on Conditions at exit:
decreasing to 75 Pa which is also observed in the
case of 30 nozzles. The main difference arises in the CA AN MAC TOTAL STATIC
exit where there is a deviation in the minimum value SE GL H TEMPARA PRESSUR
in 30 nozzle was 2.24 Pa same as 2.24 Pa for this E NUM TURE(K) E(Pascal)
nozzle. Other than that there is no major difference BER
between the two. The pattern is also similar.
1 7 2.9 301 3.24
Turbulence intensity 20 2.84 300.5 3.86
2
30 3.06 300 2.72
3
40 3.19 301 2.24
4

The above values are considered at the exit of the
nozzle.

Conditions at throat:

Figure: Turbulence Intensity Contour with CA AN MAC TOTAL STATIC
Divergence Angle of 40 Degrees SE GL H TEMPARA PRESSUR
E NUM TURE(K) E(Pascal)
BER

1 7 1.19 300 65.8
20 1.02 300 71
2
30 1.08 300 64.8
3
40 1.12 300.25 59.6
4

The above values are considered at the throat of the
Figure: XY Plot of Turbulence Intensity With nozzle.

After taking a look at the above Figure and
the one for the previous case, it can be said there is a
lot of difference in the contour especially in the
region after the throat where there is a steep increase
when compared to the last case. The exit value has
also changed from 1.49e+03 % which was in the
previous case to 1.09e+03 % which is in the current
one. The turbulent intensity at the inlet is 7.75e+02
% which decreases a little to 7.02e+02 % just after
the inlet and remains a constant up to the throat.
After the throat there is a sudden increase in the area
and hence there is increase in the turbulent intensity.
The fluid also does not stabilize here. The maximum
turbulent intensity (5.75e+03 %) is obtained near the

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computational combustion Dynamics
CONCLUSION Division of Defence Research and
The following observations were found in the Development Laboratory, Hyderabad.
nozzles with different divergence angles considering 5. Yasuhiro Tani ―Fundamental study of
default divergence angle as 7 degrees supersonic combustion in pure air flow
 In the nozzle with divergence angle of 20 with use of shock tunnel‖ Department of
degrees Mach number is 1.15 at throat and Aeronautics and stronautics, Kyushu
at divergence angle of 7 degrees Mach University, Japan, Acta Astronautica 57
number is 1.19. From Default angle Mach (2005) 384 – 389.
number is increasing up to 2.917 at the 6. Patankar, S.V. and spalding. D.B. (1974),
nozzle exit while for divergence angle of ― A calculation for the transient and steady
20 degrees the Mach number at exit is state behaviour of shell- and- tube Heat
nearly 2.84. Exchanger‖. Heat transfer design and
 At the throat the velocity magnitude is theory sourcebook. Afghan A.A. and
same for all divergence degrees of angle Schluner E.U.. Washington. Pp. 155-176.
and it is 260 m/s..
 Near the wall, the Mach number is
decreasing for all the nozzles. This is due
to the viscosity and turbulence in the fluid.
For a nozzle of divergence angle of 20
degrees the Mach number at exit is very
low compared to other nozzles.
 While when the divergence angle is 30
degrees the Mach number at nozzle exit is
3.06 and but an divergence angle 40
degrees it gives the Mach number at
nozzle exit is 3.19 and it is lowest at an
divergence angle 20 degrees.
 The turbulence intensity is very high for a
divergence angle of 20 degrees at exit.
 For maximum velocity we can go with 30
or 40 degrees of divergence angle conical
nozzle.
 The efficiency of the nozzle increases as
we increase the divergence angle of the
nozzle up to certain extent.

REFERENCES
1. K.M. Pandey, Member IACSIT and A.P.
Singh ‖CFD Analysis of Conical Nozzle
for Mach 3 at Various Angles of
Divergence with Fluent Software’’
2. K.M. Pandey, Member IACSIT and A.P.
SinghK.M.Pandey, Member, IACSIT and
S.K.YadavK.M.Pandey and S.K.Yadav,
―CFD Analysis of a Rocket Nozzle with
Two Inlets at Mach2.1‖, Journal of
Environmental Research and
Development, Vol 5, No 2, 2010, pp- 308-
321.
3. David R. Greatrix, Regression rate
estimation for standard-flow hybrid rocket
engines, Aerospace Science and
Technology 13, 358-363, (2009).
4. P Manna, D Chakraborty ―Numerical
Simulation of Transverse H2 Combustion
in Supersonic Airstream in a Constant
Area Duct‖, Vol. 86, November 2005,

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