OA-002

Swamp Launch Rocket Design and CFD

Validated rocket drag predictions by testing CFD results against a physical wind tunnel model.

Run ANSYS Fluent simulations for the Swamp Launch IREC competition vehicle and build the rocket model in CAD. I also helped document the simulation process for different Mach ranges, including physics setup, boundary-layer values, drag calculations, and which equations to use for each case.

Role

Rocket CFD and CAD contributor

Organization

University of Florida · Swamp Launch Rocket Team

SolidWorksANSYS FluentCFDMeshingWind tunnel testingTechnical documentation

CAD-modeled rocket prepared for wind tunnel testing on a rod fixture — Rocket model prepared for wind tunnel testing to compare physical results with ANSYS CFD data.

Building the rocket in CAD

I built the Swamp Launch IREC competition vehicle in SolidWorks, the geometry that everything else keys off of. The same CAD model became the basis for the CFD study and the wind tunnel test planning, so the simulation and the physical test were checking the same shape.

SolidWorks CAD model of the Swamp Launch IREC competition rocket — Competition rocket CAD for Swamp Launch, the basis for CFD and wind tunnel test planning.

CFD in ANSYS Fluent

I run ANSYS Fluent simulations on the vehicle across different Mach ranges, refining the mesh and boundary-layer setup around the rocket geometry before each run.

I also helped document the simulation process for each regime, physics setup, wall Y-plus targets, drag calculations, and which equations apply in each case, so the workflow is repeatable by the rest of the team.

ANSYS Fluent mesh refinement around the Swamp Launch rocket CFD geometry — Mesh refinement and boundary-layer setup before running cases at different Mach ranges.

ANSYS Fluent wall Y-plus contour and drag output for the Swamp Launch rocket CFD model — Wall Y-plus contours and drag output from a Fluent run on the competition vehicle.

Validating against the wind tunnel

The point of the study was to compare predicted drag with reality. We mounted the rocket in a subsonic wind tunnel so physical results could be checked against the ANSYS CFD data, connecting the CAD model, the simulation workflow, and the physical test setup into one loop.

Full side view of the subsonic wind tunnel used to test the Swamp Launch rocket — The subsonic wind tunnel facility used for the drag validation runs.

Rocket test article mounted in the wind tunnel test section — The rocket mounted through the test-section port, ready for a run.

Close-up of the sting mount inside the wind tunnel test section — The sting mount inside the test section that holds the model in the flow.

Open wind tunnel test section during setup for rocket drag testing — Opening the test section to set up the model between runs.

The wind tunnel and control station in the lab — The tunnel and its control station in the lab.

Interactive 3D CAD

Drag to rotate, scroll to zoom.

3D model

Drag to rotate · scroll to zoom

The competition rocket in 3D, the geometry that drove the CFD and wind tunnel work.

3D model

Drag to rotate · scroll to zoom

The wind tunnel test assembly in 3D, the rocket configured on its mount for tunnel testing.