Application of High Fidelity Simulation to LE-X Engine Development

Prediction of physical phenomena is one of the most important technologies in the liquid rocket engine development. Now in Japan, LE-X is being developed as the first stage engine of the Next Flagship Launch System(H-X) with front-loading design approach which enables cost reduction and reliability enhancement by reduction of risks in the early stage of development. Simulation technologies are essential to the design and the CFD analysis tool with high fidelity simulation, the CRUNCH CFD, was applied. As a first step, the accuracies of oxygen dome and hydrogen mixer analyses were verified. The stable with sufficient accuracy analysis models were evaluated and the analysis time was realistic to apply these models to engine design activity. However, the present report revealed that improvement of accuracy and numerical model update are required to apply the present high fidelity simulation to actual engine development.