Cryogens in aerospace industry

High-pressure cryogenic propellants undergoing rapid atomisation, phase change, and dispersion, critically influencing combustion efficiency, injector performance, and safety in aerospace propulsion systems

Technical capabilities in MPflow

  • Advanced multiphase solvers for cryogenic fluids (LN₂, LOx, LCH₄, LH₂) under high-pressure and low-temperature conditions
  • Fully compressible framework capturing real-fluid thermodynamics and phase change
  • Coupled modelling of internal nozzle flow, cavitation, flashing, and external spray dynamics
  • Eulerian–Lagrangian spray modelling with primary atomisation, breakup, evaporation, and dispersion
  • Support for complex injector geometries and multi-hole configurations
  • Validated across cryogenic jets, flashing releases, and propulsion-relevant conditions

Our CFD approach

  • High-fidelity simulation of atomisation and spray formation in cryogenic injectors
  • Resolution of Kelvin–Helmholtz and Rayleigh–Taylor instabilities governing jet breakup
  • Coupled modelling of thermal non-equilibrium and metastable phase behaviour
  • Accurate prediction of vapour cloud formation, dispersion, and mixing with ambient air
  • Integrated treatment of internal nozzle flow and external plume evolution
  • LES and RANS capabilities for both detailed physics and industrial-scale simulations

Physics-based ML acceleration

  • Physics-informed neural networks trained on high-fidelity cryogenic CFD datasets
  • ML acceleration of turbulence closures (RANS & LES) and phase-change source terms
  • Real-time prediction of spray structure, droplet distributions, and vapour dispersion
  • Hybrid CFD–ML framework ensuring physical consistency and robustness across regimes
  • Seamless integration with MPflow solvers for on-the-fly deployment during simulations

Why ML-CFD matters for Cryogens in Aerospace Industry

  • Up to 3000× faster predictions: rapid evaluation of injector and propulsion system designs
  • ~5× acceleration with ML-enhanced RANS & LES turbulence modelling
  • <5% deviation from CFD in spray structure, vapour cloud evolution, and mixing behaviour
  • Instant exploration of operating conditions: pressure, temperature, and injection strategies
  • Scalable across fuels including LOx, LCH₄, LH₂, and multi-phase cryogenic systems
  • Enables safety analysis of accidental releases and cold vapour dispersion in aerospace environments