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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 127 records · Page 7

Experimental fatigue life investigation of cylindrical thrust chambers

Twenty-two cylindrical test sections of a cylindrical rocket thrust chamber were fabricated and 21 of them were cycled to failure to explore the failure mechanisms, determine the effects of wall temperature on cyclic life, and to rank the material life characteristics for comparison with results from isothermal tests of 12 alloys at 538 C. Cylinder liners were fabricated from OFHC copper, Amzirc, and NAR1loy-Z. Tests were conducted at a chamber pressure of 4.14 MW/sq m using hydrogen-oxygen propellants at an oxidant-fuel ratio of 6.0, which resulted in an average throat heat flux of 54 MW/sq m. The cylinders were cooled with liquid hydrogen at an average rate of 0.91 Kg/sec. All failures were characterized by a thinning of the cooling channel wall at the centerline and eventual failure by tensile rupture. Cyclic life rankings of the materials based on temperature do not agree with published rankings based on uniaxial, isothermal strain tests.

Quentmeyer, R. J.↗

Development of a 12-Thrust Chamber Kerosene /Oxygen Primary Rocket Sub-System for an Early (1964) Air-Augmented Rocket Ground-Test System

Airbreathing/Rocket combined-cycle, and specifically rocket-based combined- cycle (RBCC), propulsion systems, typically employ an internal engine flow-path installed primary rocket subsystem. To achieve acceptably short mixing lengths in effecting the "air augmentation" process, a large rocket-exhaust/air interfacial mixing surface is needed. This leads, in some engine design concepts, to a "cluster" of small rocket units, suitably arrayed in the flowpath. To support an early (1964) subscale ground-test of a specific RBCC concept, such a 12-rocket cluster was developed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The small primary rockets used in the cluster assembly were modified versions of an existing small kerosene/oxygen water-cooled rocket engine unit routinely tested at MSFC. Following individual thrust-chamber tests and overall subsystem qualification testing, the cluster assembly was installed at the U. S. Air Force's Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) for RBCC systems testing. (The results of the special air-augmented rocket testing are not covered here.) While this project was eventually successfully completed, a number of hardware integration problems were met, leading to catastrophic thrust chamber failures. The principal "lessons learned" in conducting this early primary rocket subsystem experimental effort are documented here as a basic knowledge-base contribution for the benefit of today's RBCC research and development community.

Pryor, D.↗

Performance of a transpiration-regenerative cooled rocket thrust chamber

The analysis, design, fabrication, and testing of a liquid rocket engine thrust chamber which is gas transpiration cooled in the high heat flux convergent portion of the chamber and water jacket cooled (simulated regenerative) in the barrel and divergent sections of the chamber are described. The engine burns LOX-hydrogen propellants at a chamber pressure of 600 psia. Various transpiration coolant flow rates were tested with resultant local hot gas wall temperatures in the 800 F to 1400 F range. The feasibility of transpiration cooling with hydrogen and helium, and the use of photo-etched copper platelets for heat transfer and coolant metering was successfully demonstrated.

Valler, H. W.↗

Orbital transfer vehicle 3000 LBF thrust chamber assembly hot fire test program

The Aerojet Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV) Thrust Chamber Assembly (TCA) concept consists of a hydrogen cooled chamber, and annular injector, and an oxygen cooled centerbody. The hot fire testing of a heat sink version of the chamber with only the throat section using hydrogen cooling is documented. Hydraulic performance of the injector and cooled throat were verified by water flow testing prior to TCA assembly. The cooled throat was proof tested to 3000 psia to verify the integrity of the codeposited EF nickel-cobalt closeout. The first set of hot fire tests were conducted with a heat sink throat to obtain heat flux information. After demonstration of acceptable heat fluxes, the heat sink throat was replaced with the LH2 cooled throat section. Fourteen tests were conducted with a heat sink chamber and throat at chamber pressures of 85 to 359 psia. The injector face was modified at this time to add more face coolant flow. Ten tests were then conducted at chamber pressures of 197 to 620 psia. Actual heat fluxes at the higher chamber pressure range were 23 percent higher than the average of 10 Btu/in 2 predicted.

Schneider, Judy↗

Three dimensional thermal analysis of rocket thrust chambers

A numerical model for the three dimensional thermal analysis of rocket thrust chambers and nozzles has been developed. The input to the model consists of the composition of the fuel/oxidant mixture and flow rates, chamber pressure, coolant entrance temperature and pressure, dimensions of the engine, materials and the number of nodes in different parts of the engine. The model allows for temperature variation in three dimensions: axial, radial and circumferential directions and by implementing an iterative scheme, it provides nodal temperature distribution, rates of heat transfer, hot gas and coolant thermal and transport properties.

Naraghi, M. H. N.↗

Advanced thrust chamber /nontubular/

Determination of thermal cycling capability of non-tubular regeneratively cooled thrust chambers for use in space shuttle propulsion systems

Fulton, D. L.↗

Hot-gas-side heat transfer with and without film cooling on a simulated nuclear rocket thrust chamber using H2-O2

Heat-transfer coefficients were obtained on a thrust chamber which simulated the geometry of the NERVA nuclear rocket. The tests were performed with and without peripheral film cooling over a chamber pressure range of 1.05 million to 5.84 million newtons per square meter (153 to 847 psia). With no film cooling, the overall axial variation in the value of the correlation coefficient C of the equation (Stanton)* (Prandtl)* to the 0.7ths power = C(Reynolds)* to the -0.2ths power, where * indicates the reference enthalpy condition, was reduced 66 percent when the local diameter in the Reynolds number was replaced by the axial distance from the injector face. The average peak values of C were reduced 25 percent with 2 and 3.75 percent cooling and 50 percent with 7.5 percent cooling.

Quentmeyer, R. J.↗

Thrust chamber performance using Navier-Stokes solution

The viscous, axisymmetric flow in the thrust chamber of the space shuttle main engine (SSME) was computed on the CRAY 205 computer using the general interpolants method (GIM) code. Results show that the Navier-Stokes codes can be used for these flows to study trends and viscous effects as well as determine flow patterns; but further research and development is needed before they can be used as production tools for nozzle performance calculations. The GIM formulation, numerical scheme, and computer code are described. The actual SSME nozzle computation showing grid points, flow contours, and flow parameter plots is discussed. The computer system and run times/costs are detailed.

Chan, J. S.↗

Three dimensional thermal analysis of rocket thrust chambers

A numerical model for the three-dimensional thermal analysis of rocket thrust chambers and nozzles has been developed. The input to the model consists of the composition of the fuel/oxidant mixture and flow rates, chamber pressure, coolant entrance temperature and pressure, dimensions of the engine, materials and the number of nodes in different parts of the engine. The model allows for temperature variation in three dimensions: axial, radial and circumferential directions and by implementing an iterative scheme, it provides nodal temperature distribution, rates of heat transfer, hot gas and coolant thermal and transport properties.

Naraghi, M. H. N.↗