Engineering PapersSearch

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “PROPELLANT COMBUSTION”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 55 records · Page 3

Studies of solid propellant combustion with pulsed radiography

Pulsed radiography was applied to observe solid propellant surface regression during rocket motor operation. Using a 150 KV flash X-ray system manufactured by the Field Emission Corporation and two kinds of film suppliers, images of the propellant surface of a 5 cm diameter end burning rocket motor were recorded on film. The repetition frame rate of 8 pulses per second and the pulse train length of 10 pulses are limited by the capability of the power supply and the heat build up within the X-ray tube, respectively. The experiment demonstrated the effectiveness of pulsed radiography for observing solid propellant surface regression. Measuring the position of burning surface images on film with a microdensitometer, quasi-instantaneous burning rate as a function of pressure and the variation of characteristic velocity with pressure and gas stay time were obtained. Other research items to which pulsed radiography can be applied are also suggested.

Godai, T.

Composite propellant combustion

Temperature measurements in gaseous reaction zone near surface of burning composite solid propellant, using modified line reversal pyrometer

Derr, R. L.

Alumina Size Distributions from High-Pressure Composite Solid-Propellant Combustion

Alumina size distributions were obtained for both a coarse and a fine oxidizer composite propellant burning in a nitrogen atmosphere over the pressure range from atmospheric to 500 pounds per square inch. The amount of additive agglomeration was found to be significantly higher for the coarse oxidizer propellant and decreased with increasing pressure to the 0.3 power over the range from atmospheric pressure to 250 pounds per square inch. High-speed photographs of the burning propellant surface revealed that the additives moved on the surface with the average particle velocity decreasing with pressure to approximately the 0.3 power over the pressure range from atmospheric to 50 pounds per square inch. The empirical relation between particle velocity and pressure was used to modify an agglomeration criterion presented previously. Evaluation of the critical aluminum diameter required for agglomeration indicated that both propellant types used in this study should experience some agglomeration over the pressure range studied. The aluminum size required for agglomeration was found to increase with increasing pressure. The experimental findings of the critical aluminum diameter required for agglomeration were in reasonable agreement with the calculated data. The volume mean diameter of the alumina was found to decrease with increasing pressure.

Povinelli, Louis A.

Investigation of gaseous propellant combustion and associated injector/chamber design guidelines

Injector design criteria are provided for gaseous hydrogen-gaseous oxygen propellants. Design equations and procedures are presented which will allow an injector-chamber designer to a priori estimate of the performance, compatibility and stability characteristics of prototype injectors. The effects of chamber length, element geometry, thrust per element, mixture ratio, impingement angle, and element spacing were evaluated for four element concepts and their derivatives. The data from this series of tests were reduced to a single valued mixing function that describes the mixing potential of the various elements. Performance, heat transfer and stability data were generated for various mixture ratios, propellant temperatures, chamber pressures, contraction ratios, and chamber lengths. Applications of the models resulted in the design of procedures, whereby the performance and chamber heat flux can be calculated directly, and the injector stability estimated in conjunction with existing models.

Calhoon, D. F.

Propellant combustion response to oscillatory radiant heat flux

An introductory progress report is given on a research project to use the microwave Doppler velocimeter technique to measure the combustion response to an oscillating thermal radiation source (laser). The objective is to relate the measured burning rate response to the thermal radiation to an equivalent oscillation in pressure using existing thermal combustion theory. The test system is described, and the results of an initial test series on the composite propellant A-13 are presented.

Strand, L. D.

Effect of silicone oil on solid propellant combustion in small motors

The feasibility of reducing troublesome nozzle blockage (by condensation deposits) in laboratory-scale solid rockets by addition of a silicone oil as a propellant ingredient was explored experimentally. An aluminized composite propellant and its counterpart with 1% silicone oil replacing part of the binder were fired in a 63.5 mm diameter, end-burning, all-metal burner. Pressure-time histories were recorded for all of the tests by a Taber gauge mounted at the downstream end of the chamber; temperature-time data at the nozzle throat were obtained in some of the runs by thermocouples having junctions positioned at the wall but insulated from the metal. Deposition of condensables on the nozzle walls causing a progressive increase in the chamber pressure with time was noted. The fraction of firings exhibiting practically no condensation was 59% with silicone and 32% without. On the average, temperature readings at the nozzle throat were higher with the silicone propellants. Although various phenomena may contribute to these findings, the results are not understood completely.

Ramohalli, K.

The E-3 Test Facility at Stennis Space Center: Research and Development Testing for Cryogenic and Storable Propellant Combustion Systems

This paper will provide the reader a broad overview of the current upgraded capabilities of NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center E-3 Test Facility to perform testing for rocket engine combustion systems and components using liquid and gaseous oxygen, gaseous and liquid methane, gaseous hydrogen, hydrocarbon based fuels, hydrogen peroxide, high pressure water and various inert fluids. Details of propellant system capabilities will be highlighted as well as their application to recent test programs and accomplishments. Data acquisition and control, test monitoring, systems engineering and test processes will be discussed as part of the total capability of E-3 to provide affordable alternatives for subscale to full scale testing for many different requirements in the propulsion community.

Pazos, John T.

Solid propellant combustion response to oscillatory radiant heat flux

A progress report is given on a research project to use the microwave Doppler velocimeter technique to measure the combustion response to an oscillating thermal radiation source (CO2 laser). The test technique and supporting analyses are described, and the results are presented for an initial test series on the nonmetallized, composite propellant, Naval Weapons Center formulation A-13. It is concluded that in-depth transmission of radiant heat flux is not a factor at the CO2 laser wave length.

Strand, L. D.

Design and use of a servo-controlled high pressure window bomb in spectroscopic studies of solid propellant combustion

The feasibility of using a high pressure window bomb as a laboratory scale model of actual motor conditions. The design and operation of a modified high pressure window bomb is discussed. An optical servocontrol mechanism has been designed to hold the burning surface of a propellant strand at a fixed position within the bomb chamber. This mechanism permits the recording of visible and infrared emission spectra from various propellants. Preliminary visible emission spectra of a nonmetalized and metalized propellant are compared with spectra recorded using the modified bomb.

Goetz, F.

Development of computerized analysis for solid propellant combustion (ISAP-2)

This report is an improvement of ISAP-1, SRB Vorticity-Acoustic Coupled Instability Analysis, September 1986. Included in this report are the automatic generation of all input data for grid configuration, boundary conditions for coupled acoustic and vortical field calculations, transformation of all dimensions to a parametric form, resulting in flexibility for the user to define the size of the problem (geometric configurations) with reduction in storage (15 to 65%) and computer run-time (50 to 75%). Additional research is required for the following areas: (1) turbulence effects; (2) nonlinear wave oscillations; and (3) chemistry upon combustion instability.

Chung, T. J.

Metallized Gelled Propellants Combustion Experiments in a Pulse Detonation Engine

A series of combustion tests were performed with metallized gelled JP 8/aluminum fuels in a Pulse Detonation Engine (PDE). Nanoparticles of aluminum were used in the 60 to 100 nanometer diameter. Gellants were also of a nanoparticulate type composed of hydrocarbon alkoxide materials. Using simulated air (a nitrogen-oxygen mixture), the ignition potential of metallized gelled fuels with nanoparticle aluminum was investigated. Ignition of the JP 8/aluminum was possible with less than or equal to a 23-wt% oxygen loading in the simulated air. JP 8 fuel alone was unable to ignite with less than 30 percent oxygen loaded simulated air. The tests were single shot tests of the metallized gelled fuel to demonstrate the capability of the fuel to improve fuel detonability. The tests were conducted at ambient temperatures and with maximal detonation pressures of 1340 psia.

Palaszewski, Bryan

Vapour phase details in the oscillatory combustion of propellants A porous plate analogue

A perforated porous plate burner is designed to scale up the vapor phase details in composite propellant combustion. A fuel vapor is passed through the pores and an oxidizer vapor is passed through the discrete perforations drilled in the plate. Discussion of the scale modeling of the vapor phase details in oscillatory combustion of composite propellants leads to the following conclusions: (1) the concept of a perforated porous plate analog for the composite propellant vapor phase combustion appears to be valid during oscillatory combustion as well; (2) the flame standoff distance can be conveniently determined with motion picture photography; (3) the flame standoff distance varies with the flow velocity during oscillatory combustion much the same way as during time-independent combustion; and (4) the overall structure of the combustion zone (flame) does not appear to vary too much from its time-independent structure during oscillatory combustion

Ramohalli, K.

38th JANNAF Combustion Subcommittee Meeting

This volume, the first of two volumes, is a collection of 55 unclassified/unlimited-distribution papers which were presented at the Joint Army-Navy-NASA-Air Force (JANNAF) 38th Combustion Subcommittee (CS), 26 th Airbreathing Propulsion Subcommittee (APS), 20th Propulsion Systems Hazards Subcommittee (PSHS), and 21 Modeling and Simulation Subcommittee. The meeting was held 8-12 April 2002 at the Bayside Inn at The Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort and Eglin Air Force Base, Destin, Florida. Topics cover five major technology areas including: 1) Combustion - Propellant Combustion, Ingredient Kinetics, Metal Combustion, Decomposition Processes and Material Characterization, Rocket Motor Combustion, and Liquid & Hybrid Combustion; 2) Liquid Rocket Engines - Low Cost Hydrocarbon Liquid Rocket Engines, Liquid Propulsion Turbines, Liquid Propulsion Pumps, and Staged Combustion Injector Technology; 3) Modeling & Simulation - Development of Multi- Disciplinary RBCC Modeling, Gun Modeling, and Computational Modeling for Liquid Propellant Combustion; 4) Guns Gun Propelling Charge Design, and ETC Gun Propulsion; and 5) Airbreathing - Scramjet an Ramjet- S&T Program Overviews.

Fry, Ronald S.