NEWS – ISRO Develops PraVaHa Software for Aerodynamic Design and Analysis

HIGHLIGHTS

Overview

• Software: Parallel RANS Solver for Aerospace Vehicle Aero-thermo-dynamic Analysis (PraVaHa)
• Developed by: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
• Location: Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC)

Capabilities of PraVaHa

• Simulation Types:
  • External flows on launch vehicles
  • Internal flows on winged and non-winged re-entry vehicles
• Applications:
  • Aerodynamic design studies
  • Evaluation of numerous configurations for launch vehicles
  • Analysis of aerodynamic and aerothermal loads during launch or re-entry

Importance in Aerodynamic Design

• Critical Factors:
  • External pressure
  • Heat flux
• Design Requirements:
  • Shape and structure design
  • Thermal Protection System (TPS) design

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)

• Purpose:
  • Predict aerodynamic and aerothermal loads
  • Solve conservation of mass, momentum, and energy equations
• Challenges Addressed:
  • Unsteady aerodynamics causing flow issues and acoustic noise

Use in ISRO Programs

• Gaganyaan Program:
  • Human-rated launch vehicles (HLVM3)
  • Crew Escape System (CES)
  • Crew Module (CM)

Current and Future Applications

• Current Usage:
  • Simulating airflow under Perfect Gas & Real Gas conditions
• Validation:
  • Simulating chemical reactions during air dissociation upon re-entry
  • Combustion simulations for scramjet vehicles

Broader Impact

• Potential Users:
  • Academia
  • Institutions designing missiles, aircraft, and rockets
• Advantage:
  • Replacing commercial CFD software for aero characterisation

Updates

• Latest Validation: Ongoing for chemical reaction simulations during air dissociation and combustion
• Operational Status: PraVaHa is operational for specific gas conditions and validation processes are in progress.