Effect of fence on linear aerospike plume-induced base-heating physics

A computational heat transfer analysis is conducted to study the effect of the presence of an engine fence on the X-33 linear aerospike plume-induced base heating during vehicle ascent. A fence is an extension of the plug side wall that reduces the plume spillage. A detailed three-dimensional thermoflowfield of the entire vehicle is computed such that an accurate freestream Row environment is assured for the base-dow development. The computational methodology is based on a finite difference, viscous flow, chemically reacting, pressure-based computational fluid dynamics formulation and a finite volume, spectral-line-based weighted sum of gray gases absorption computational radiation heat transfer formulation. The computed base-flow physics are analyzed and compared with those of a subscale model hot-flow test. The effect of base bleed is also analyzed.