CSAR Seminar

SPEAKER: Kozo Fujii, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

TITLE: Computational Effort Toward Quantitative Estimation of Rocket Plume Acoustics — Advanced CFD as a Key Technology in Space Development

DATE: Friday, April 25, 2008
TIME: 2:00 P.M.
PLACE: 2240 DCL
1304 W. Springfield Ave., Urbana, IL

ABSTRACT

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in aerospace has a history of 40 years and made remarkable contributions. Compared to CFD contributions in aeronautics, where CFD works as an inevitable element of aircraft design and development process, CFD in space development is still in the early stage. CFD is used just as a subsidiary tool for testing or only as a tool for trouble analysis. To change such culture, JEDI center was established in October 2005. As one of the important efforts in JEDI center, we started analysis of rocket plume acoustics both with the short-term and the long-term objectives. Contribution to the design of JAXA's launching sites is a short-term objective, and reduction of the period and cost of time-consuming acoustic test for satellites is a long-term objective. Such analysis will become feasible with advanced CFD technology and good computer environment, both of which JAXA fortunately holds. In this seminar lecture, JAXA and the activity of JEDI center is briefly introduced first. Then, research effort for rocket plume acoustics is discussed with the key technology based on the recent and future trend of aerospace CFD. Basic research to help understanding of the phenomenon is carried out in the author's own laboratory at the ISAS in conjunction with the JEDI center. Seminar lecture shows how such effort is combined with practical simulations for rocket plume acoustics at the launching site.

BIOGRAPHY

Kozo Fujii is a Professor of Department of Space Transportation at the ISAS, JAXA, Japan. He is currently a Research Director of the ISAS for space science as well as a Director of JAXA's Engineering Digital Innovation (JEDI) Center. He received his Ph.D. from University of Tokyo in 1980. He spent several years as regular and senior NRC Research Associates at NASA Ames Research Center. After spending a few years at National Aerospace Laboratory, He returned to the ISAS in 1988 and became a professor of high-speed aerodynamics in 1997. His research interests include, high-speed aerodynamics, high angle-of-attack aerodynamics, and flow visualization mainly with CFD approach. He is a regional editor of "Computers & Fluids" and "Notes on Numerical Fluid Mechanics". He has been an associate editor of AIAA Journal for many years until 2007. He is a Fellow of AIAA and JSME. He received Guggenheim Award from the International Congress of Aeronautics and Space Science (ICAS) and other awards for his contribution to CFD research and the international collaborations.