Probabilistic Simulation of Fragment Dynamics and Their Surface Impacts in the SSME Turbopump

Abstract

Numerical simulations are used to model the dynamics of solid fragments in the high pressure fuel turbopump of the space shuttle main engine (SSME HPFTP). The simulations are conducted in a probabilistic structure in order to simulate the variance in the geometrical configuration, material properties and initial conditions of the solid fragments. The results of the particle dynamics simulations are presented in the form of the probability of surface impacts, and probability distributions of the impacting velocity and impingement angle.