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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.

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At least 217 records · Page 12
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1980

Tangential mode combustion instability of solid propellant rocket motors. 2: Pressure, frequency, and burning rate histories

The relationships among excursions of mean chamber pressure, high frequency pressure oscillations and accelerations associated with tangential mode combustion instability are considered. A data reduction procedure was devised to utilize the precise pressure time data as input to a numerical solution of the chamber mass balance relationships. The results indicate that both elevated burning rate induced by the tangential wave motions and variable nozzle blockage due to passage of vortical flow through the nozzle throat must act together to generate the large mean pressure peaks observed in the tests. There is strong correlation between the amplitude of wave motions and the level of mean pressure rise. Evidence for the presence of traveling tangential waves at the time of the D.C. shift was found by use of dual Kistler pressure transducers mounted at the head end of the burner. A very unusual frequency history was found to accompany the high amplitude disturbances. This was consistent from test to test and may represent an additional source of information regarding the complicated flow combustion interactions within the propellant burning zone.

Flandro, G. A.↗
NASA NTRS1966

Nonlinear Aspects of Combustion Instability in Liquid Propellant Rocket Motors Sixth Yearly Progress Report, 1 Jun. 1965 - 31 May 1966

This is the sixth yearly report on the research at Princeton University on the problem of combustion instability in liquid-propellant rocket motors. These investigations have been sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under NASA Contract NASr-217 and, in the past, under NASA Grant NsG-99-60. The nonlinear aspects of the problem have been emphasized in both the theoretical and experimental portions of the program. Presently, the theoretical research primarily involves studies of possible mechanisms or forcing functions of the instabilities, the nonlinear gasdynamic oscillations associated with instability in rocket motors, the effect of the exhaust nozzle on the stability, and the effect of damping devices on the stability. In conjunction with the theoretical program, an experimental program of an equally broad range is being conducted. This program includes basic experiments both with rocket motors and "cold" chambers which have been designed to study various combustion processes in order to provide understanding which would be useful in the construction of a theoretical model. It also includes studies of the effects of exhaust nozzles and damping devices upon the instability as well as controlled testing of liquid rocket motors with parametric variations intended to determine the factors which strongly influence the incidence of nonlinear combustion instability.

Combustion instability↗
NASA NTRS1973

Evaluation of magnesium-aluminum eutectic to improve combustion efficiency in low burning rate propellants

A previous investigation indicated that combustion efficiency of low burning-rate propellants could be improved if the aluminum fuel was replaced by aluminum particles coated with a magnesium-aluminum eutectic alloy (ALCAL). The purpose of the present investigation was to evaluate the possibility of improving the combustion efficiency of these propellants by admixing the eutectic with the aluminum rather than coating the aluminum. Tests of three propellants similar in every respect except for the metal fuel were conducted in test motors with 4.54 kg (10 lbm) of propellant. The first propellant used aluminum fuel; the second contained aluminum admixed with magnesium-aluminum eutectic; the third used ALCAL. The test results show the the admixed fuel gave better low burning-rate combustion efficiency than the other two. The test results also showed that the ALCAL was deficient in that much, if not all, of the coating material could be found as the fine particles in a bimodal mix of aluminum and eutectic. The combustion efficiency of low burning-rate aluminized propellants can be significantly improved by mixing a small amount of magnesium-aluminum alloy with the aluminum fuel.

Northam, B. G.↗
NASA NTRS1980

An empirical propellant response function for combustion stability predictions

An empirical response function model was developed for ammonium perchlorate propellants to supplant T-burner testing at the preliminary design stage. The model was developed by fitting a limited T-burner data base, in terms of oxidizer size and concentration, to an analytical two parameter response function expression. Multiple peaks are predicted, but the primary effect is of a single peak for most formulations, with notable bulges for the various AP size fractions. The model was extended to velocity coupling with the assumption that dynamic response was controlled primarily by the solid phase described by the two parameter model. The magnitude of velocity coupling was then scaled using an erosive burning law. Routine use of the model for stability predictions on a number of propulsion units indicates that the model tends to overpredict propellant response. It is concluded that the model represents a generally conservative prediction tool, suited especially for the preliminary design stage when T-burner data may not be readily available. The model work included development of a rigorous summation technique for pseudopropellant properties and of a concept for modeling ordered packing of particulates.

Hessler, R. O.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Solid Rocket Motor Technology

These Conference Proceedings contain the 36 papers presented at the AGARD Propulsion and Energetics Panel 53rd Symposium on "Solid Rocket Motor Technology", which was held in Oslo, Norway, 2-5 April 1979. The questions and answers after the various presentations are included as well as the Round Table Discussion. The Symposium was organized into seven sessions: Survey Papers (2); Ignition, Extinction and Internal Ballistics (8); Burn Rate Modelling and Combustion of Metal (5); New Propellants (5); Combustion Instability (7); Heat Transfer and Materials (3); and Testing and Instrumentation (6).The Symposium provided a forum for discussion and exchange between research scientists ,propellant formulators and motor technologists. Though main emphasis was placed on transient processes like ignition and extinction and on combustion instability with the various related aspects there were a number of papers dealing with propellants, their characteristics and their development. Whether the symposium achieved its initial aim, i.e. furnishing a comprehensive survey of the technology available for solid propellant rocket motors and its further development capabilities, will be assessed in a Technical Evaluation Report, to be published as AGARD Advisory Report AR 151.

Advisory Group for Aerospace Research and Developm↗
NASA NTRS1991

Method of injecting fluid propellants into a rocket combustion chamber

A rocket injector is provided with multiple sets of manifolds for supplying propellants to injector elements. Sensors transmit the temperatures of the propellants to a suitable controller which is operably connected to valves between these manifolds and propellant storage tanks. Additional valves are opened to furnish propellants to more of the manifolds when cryogenic propellant temperatures are sensed. Only a portion of the valves are opened to furnish propellants to some of the manifolds when lower temperatures are sensed.

Schneider, Steven J.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Laboratory investigations of cloud nuclei from combustion of Space Shuttle propellant

Small quantities of solid rocket motor propellant, of the type to launch the Space Shuttle, were burned at ambient pressure in the laboratory to provide aerosol samples for characterization. A portion of each sample was injected into an isothermal cloud chamber and the remainder into a 770-liter holding tank. Portable ice nucleus (IN) counters, filter devices for IN determinations and a cloud condensation nucleus (CCN) counter sampled from the tank. The measurements show that particles resulting from the combustion of the propellant are active IN (3.3 times 10 to the 8th to 1.5 times 10 to the 11th/g active at 20 C). The portable counters and filters detected significantly fewer IN than the isothermal cloud chamber. The propellant aerosol is a prolific source of CCN that swamped the instrument.

Hindman Ii, E. E.↗
NASA NTRS1999

JANNAF 36th Combustion Subcommittee Meeting

Volume 11, the second of three volumes is a compilation of 33 unclassified/unlimited-distribution technical papers presented at the Joint Army-Navy-NASA-Air Force (JANNAF) 36th Combustion Subcommittee held jointly with the 24 Airbreathing Propulsion Subcommittee and 18th Propulsion Systems Hazards Subcommittee. The meeting was held on 18-21 October 1999 at NASA Kennedy Space Center and The DoubleTree Oceanfront Hotel, Cocoa Beach, Florida. Topics covered include gun solid propellant ignition and combustion, Electrothermal Chemical (ETC) propulsion phenomena, liquid propellant gun combustion and barrel erosion, gas phase propellant combustion, kinetic and decomposition phenomena and liquid and hybrid propellant combustion behavior.

Fry, Ronald S.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Catalytic ignitor for regenerative propellant gun

An ignitor initiates combustion of liquid propellant in a gun by utilizing a heated catalyst onto which the liquid propellant is sprayed in a manner which mitigates the occurrence of undesirable combustion chamber oscillations. The heater heats the catalyst sufficiently to provide the activation necessary to initiate combustion of the liquid propellant sprayed thereonto. Two embodiments of the ignitor and three alternative mountings thereof within the combustion chamber are disclosed. The ignitor may also be utilized to dispose of contaminated, excess, or waste liquid propellant in a safe, controlled, simple, and reliable manner.

Voecks, Gerald E.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Catalytic Ignitor for Regenerative Propellant Gun

An ignitor initiates combustion of liquid propellant in a gun by utilizing a heated catalyst onto which the liquid propellant is sprayed in a manner which mitigates the occurrence of undesirable combustion chamber oscillations. The heater heats the catalyst sufficiently to provide the activation necessary to initiate combustion of the liquid propellant sprayed thereonto. Two embodiments of the igniter and three alternative mountings thereof within the combustion chamber are disclosed. The ignitor may also be utilized to dispose of contaminated, excess, or waste liquid propellant in a safe, controlled, simple, and reliable manner.

Voecks, Gerald E.↗
NASA NTRS1965

Low-pressure combustion studies

Low pressure combustion instability tests on solid propellants, and pressure oscillation rate of depressurization

SOLID PROPELLANT↗
NASA NTRS1985

Coated oxidizers for combustion stability in solid-propellant rockets

Experiments are conducted in a laboratory-scale (6.25-cm diameter) end-burning rocket motor with state-of-the-art, ammonium perchlorate hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB), nonmetallized propellants. The concept of tailoring the stability characteristics with a small amount (less than 1 percent by weight) of COATING on the oxidizer is explored. The thermal degradation characteristics of the coat chemical are deduced through theoretical arguments on thermal diffusivity of the composite material (propellant). Several candidate coats are selected and propellants are cast. These propellants (with coated oxidizers) are fired in a laboratory-scale end-burning rocket motor, and real-time pressure histories are recorded. The control propellant (with no coating) is also tested for comparison. The uniformity of the coating, confirmed by SEM pictures and BET adsorption measurements, is thought to be an advance in technology. The frequency of bulk mode instability (BMI), the pressure fluctuation amplitudes, and stability boundaries are correlated with parameters related to the characteristic length (L-asterisk) of the rocket motor. The coated oxidizer propellants, in general, display greater combustion stability than the control (state-of-the-art). The correlations of the various parameters are thought to be new to a field filled with much uncertainty.

Helmy, A. M.↗
NASA NTRS2004

On Nonlinear Combustion Instability in Liquid Propellant Rocket Motors

All liquid propellant rocket instability calculations in current use have limited value in the predictive sense and serve mainly as a correlating framework for the available data sets. The well-known n-t model first introduced by Crocco and Cheng in 1956 is still used as the primary analytical tool of this type. A multitude of attempts to establish practical analytical methods have achieved only limited success. These methods usually produce only stability boundary maps that are of little use in making critical design decisions in new motor development programs. Recent progress in understanding the mechanisms of combustion instability in solid propellant rockets"' provides a firm foundation for a new approach to prediction, diagnosis, and correction of the closely related problems in liquid motor instability. For predictive tools to be useful in the motor design process, they must have the capability to accurately determine: 1) time evolution of the pressure oscillations and limit amplitude, 2) critical triggering pulse amplitude, and 3) unsteady heat transfer rates at injector surfaces and chamber walls. The method described in this paper relates these critical motor characteristics directly to system design parameters. Inclusion of mechanisms such as wave steepening, vorticity production and transport, and unsteady detonation wave phenomena greatly enhance the representation of key features of motor chamber oscillatory behavior. The basic theoretical model is described and preliminary computations are compared to experimental data. A plan to develop the new predictive method into a comprehensive analysis tool is also described.

Sims, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Design and assembly of a catalyst bed gas generator for the catalytic decomposition of high concentration hydrogen peroxide propellants and the catalytic combustion of hydrocarbon/air mixtures

A method for designing and assembling a high performance catalyst bed gas generator for use in decomposing propellants, particularly hydrogen peroxide propellants, for use in target, space, and on-orbit propulsion systems and low-emission terrestrial power and gas generation. The gas generator utilizes a sectioned catalyst bed system, and incorporates a robust, high temperature mixed metal oxide catalyst. The gas generator requires no special preheat apparatus or special sequencing to meet start-up requirements, enabling a fast overall response time. The high performance catalyst bed gas generator system has consistently demonstrated high decomposition efficiency, extremely low decomposition roughness, and long operating life on multiple test articles.

Lohner, Kevin A.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Combustion characteristics of a solid propellant with a charring binder

A brief investigation of the combustion characteristics of a solid propellant containing a binder which chars, as opposed to melting or volatizing, has been made. The burning rate of the propellant with the charring binder was significantly higher than similar propellants containing non-charring binders. High speed motion pictures of the burning propellant showed that the aluminum burned on the regressing surface, rather than a short distance from it as is typical with composite propellants.

Udlock, D. E.↗