Thermo-Vibro-Acoustic Analysis and Structural Mitigation Design of Rocket Launchpad Flame Deflector – A Review

This study presents a comprehensive, Coupled Thermo-Vibro-Acoustic (TVA) analysis of a rocket launch pad flame deflector system to investigate structural integrity under extreme operating conditions. Launch deflectors are subjected to highly destructive, interdependent loads: Intense heat flux (Thermo), large dynamic pressure from plume impact (Vibro), and severe random dynamic pressure from high-intensity jet noise (Acoustic). The methodology utilizes a combined Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) approach. The CFD model characterizes the plume loads, transferring heat flux and the acoustic pressure spectrum as inputs to the FEA structural model. A critical focus of the analysis is the Thermo-Vibro coupling, specifically quantifying how high temperatures cause material softening, leading to a crucial Natural Frequency Shift (fâ‚™) in the structure. The subsequent Vibro-Acoustic coupling assesses the risk of catastrophic resonance and fatigue failure when the shifted aligns with the dominant exciting frequencies of the acoustic load. The results provide quantitative data on thermal gradients, stress distributions, and fatigue life. This analysis culminates in the development of an optimized structural mitigation design strategy focused on passive methods like material and geometry optimization to enhance the deflector's resistance against the coupled TVA loads, thereby ensuring mission reliability and minimizing maintenance downtime.