High Altitude Rocket Plume and Thermal Radiation Analysis

In this study, rocket plume behavior at various altitudes and radiative heat transfer to the base surface is investigated by using DSMC and Finite-volume method for radiation. Rapidly expanded plume with increasing altitude cause the low density transient flow region in the plume. And, because of the decrease of plume temperature and density, the radiative heat transfer to the rocket base surface is also decrease. Keywords—Rocket Plume, Base Heating, Direct Simulation Monte Carlo(DSMC), Finite Volume Method for radiation (FVM)