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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
| Aspects | Description |
| About | 1. 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). |
| Aim | 1. 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 PraVaHa | 1. 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
