Numerical Investigation of Optimization of Injection Angle Effects on Fluidic Thrust Vectoring

A computational investigation was conducted to optimize the fluidic injection angle effects on thrust vectoring. Numerical simulation of fluidic injection for shock vector control, with a convergent-divergent nozzle concept was performed, using URANS approach with Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model. The fluidic injection angles from 60º to 120º were investigated at different aerodynamic and geometric conditions. The current investigation demonstrated that secondary injection angle is an essential parameter in fluidic thrust vectoring. Computational results indicated that, optimizing secondary injection angle would have positive impact on thrust vectoring performance. Furthermore, in most cases, decreasing expansion ratio of the nozzle with increasing NPR has negative impact on pitch thrust vector angle and thrust vectoring efficiency. That is, the highest pitch thrust vector angle is obtained by decreasing nozzle expansion ratio with increasing SPR in smaller fluidic injection angles. In addition, the current investigation attempted to initiate a database of optimized injection angles with different essential parameter effects on thrust vectoring, in order to guide the design and development of an efficient propulsion system.