PraVaHa software
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Source-This post on PraVaHa software has been created based on the article “ISRO develops PraVaHa software for aerodynamic design and analysis” published in “The Hindu” on 7 June 2024.

Why in News?

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently developed PraVaHa, a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software.

About PraVaHa software

AspectsDescription
About1. PraVaHa is a software developed by ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) for analyzing the aerodynamics and thermodynamics of aerospace vehicles.
2. This software, known as a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tool helps simulate the flow of air around various vehicles like rockets and re-entry vehicles (both with and without wings).
Aim1. PraVaHa aims to take over most of the CFD simulations for aerospace vehicle design, currently done using commercial software.
2. This means it could become a primary tool for designing missiles, aircraft, and rockets, providing solutions to complex aerodynamic problems.
Applications of PraVaHa1. Gaganyaan Program: PraVaHa is crucial in analyzing the aerodynamics of human-rated launch vehicles, including HLVM3, Crew Escape System (CES), and Crew Module (CM).
2. Collaborative Development: It’s designed to be secure and flexible, allowing academic institutions and government labs to work together on developments.
3. Simulation Capabilities: Currently, PraVaHa can simulate airflow in both perfect gas and real gas conditions. Work is ongoing to extend its capabilities to simulate chemical reactions, such as those occurring during re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere and in scramjet engines.

Importance of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD):

i) Design Studies: Initial design studies for launch vehicles require evaluating many different configurations to find the best one.

ii) Aerodynamic Loads: Aerospace vehicles face extreme aerodynamic and thermal loads (pressure and heat) during launch and re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.

iii) Flow Understanding: Understanding how air flows around vehicles like rockets or crew modules during re-entry is crucial for designing their shape, structure, and thermal protection systems (TPS).

iv) Unsteady Aerodynamics: The unsteady (changing) part of aerodynamics can cause serious flow issues and significant noise during a mission.

UPSC Syllabus: Science and technology


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