Thermodynamic Effect on a Cavitating Inducer in Liquid Hydrogen

This study was led in collaboration with the French space agency (CNES) and the rocket engine division of Snecma. The main aims were the simulations and the analyses of cavitating flows in the rocket engine turbopump inducers, where the run fluids are LH2 and LOx under cryogenic conditions. A ρ(P,T) state law modeling the cavitation phenomenon was integrated by the laboratory LEGI in the commercial CFD code Fine/Turbo™, developed by Numeca International. Various 3D numerical results are given for an inducer geometry and comparisons are made with experimental data (head drop curves) obtained by NASA.