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Results for “PROPELLANT SPRAY”

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 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1972

Popping phenomena with the hydrazine nitrogen-tetroxide propellant system.

The propellant spray resulting from the impingement of liquid jets of hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide has been studied at atmospheric pressure by means of streak photography. The streak photographs show periodic small explosions that originate near the impingement point and propagate through the propellant spray at velocities of 3000 to 5000 fps, consuming all propellant droplets over a distance of up to 6 in. Typical streak photographs are presented. The frequency of the explosions or pops ranged up to several hundred cps, and could be controlled by varying the contact time in the liquid phase. Below a minimum threshold contact time, popping did not take place. At high values of contact time, the popping rate was controlled by the transit time of the free jet before impingement. Flashing of the oxidizer prior to impingement prevented popping under certain conditions. It is postulated that popping is initiated by liquid phase reactions. A mechanism for the occurrence of popping and its relation to reactive stream separation is suggested.

Houseman, J.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Improved Models for Simulation of Cryogenic Spray Cooling for Propellant Tank Chilldown

This paper presents advances in spray boiling models for cryogenic fluids that exhibit strong variation in thermodynamic properties; it accounts for the interaction of the spray droplets with walls and the complex heat transfer and boiling processes that play a vital role in chilling solid surfaces. The model has been developed by corroborating and validating it with test data in liquid nitrogen obtained at the University of Connecticut. The test data includes detailed visualization and plate temperature measurements for liquid nitrogen sprays impinging on a warm test plate and subsequent transient chilldown of the plate. Simulations of transient plate chilldown in liquid nitrogen were carried out and temperature histories at various locations on the plate were compared with test measurements. The final paper will present sensitivity studies and additional comparisons with test data.

Computational Fluid Dynamics, Cryogenic, Spray Chi↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Improved Models for Simulation of Cryogenic Spray Cooling for Propellant Tank Chilldown

This paper presents advances in spray boiling models for cryogenic fluids that exhibit strong variation in thermodynamic properties; it accounts for the interaction of the spray droplets with walls and the complex heat transfer and boiling processes that play a vital role in chilling solid surfaces. The model has been developed by corroborating and validating it with test data in liquid nitrogen obtained at the University of Connecticut. The test data includes detailed visualization and plate temperature measurements for liquid nitrogen sprays impinging on a warm test plate and subsequent transient chilldown of the plate. Simulations of transient plate chilldown in liquid nitrogen were carried out and temperature histories at various locations on the plate were compared with test measurements to demonstrate the validity of the spray boiling models that have been developed for cryogens.

Boiling↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Improved Models for Simulation of Cryogenic Spray Cooling for Propellant Tank Chilldown

This paper presents advances in spray boiling models for cryogenic fluids that exhibit strong variation in thermodynamic properties; it accounts for the interaction of the spray droplets with walls and the complex heat transfer and boiling processes that play a vital role in chilling solid surfaces. The model has been developed by corroborating and validating it with test data in liquid nitrogen obtained at the University of Connecticut. The test data includes detailed visualization and plate temperature measurements for liquid nitrogen sprays impinging on a warm test plate and subsequent transient chilldown of the plate. Simulations of transient plate chilldown in liquid nitrogen were carried out and temperature histories at various locations on the plate were compared with test measurements to demonstrate the validity of the spray boiling models that have been developed for cryogens.

Boiling↗
NASA NTRS1991

Liquid-propellant droplet vaporization and combustion in high pressure environments

In order to correct the deficiencies of existing models for high-pressure droplet vaporization and combustion, a fundamental investigation into this matter is essential. The objective of this research are: (1) to acquire basic understanding of physical and chemical mechanisms involved in the vaporization and combustion of isolated liquid-propellant droplets in both stagnant and forced-convective environments; (2) to establish droplet vaporization and combustion correlations for the study of liquid-propellant spray combustion and two-phase flowfields in rocket motors; and (3) to investigate the dynamic responses of multicomponent droplet vaporization and combustion to ambient flow oscillations.

Yang, Vigor↗
NASA NTRS2005

Baseline Computational Fluid Dynamics Methodology for Longitudinal-Mode Liquid-Propellant Rocket Combustion Instability

A computational method for the analysis of longitudinal-mode liquid rocket combustion instability has been developed based on the unsteady, quasi-one-dimensional Euler equations where the combustion process source terms were introduced through the incorporation of a two-zone, linearized representation: (1) A two-parameter collapsed combustion zone at the injector face, and (2) a two-parameter distributed combustion zone based on a Lagrangian treatment of the propellant spray. The unsteady Euler equations in inhomogeneous form retain full hyperbolicity and are integrated implicitly in time using second-order, high-resolution, characteristic-based, flux-differencing spatial discretization with Roe-averaging of the Jacobian matrix. This method was initially validated against an analytical solution for nonreacting, isentropic duct acoustics with specified admittances at the inflow and outflow boundaries. For small amplitude perturbations, numerical predictions for the amplification coefficient and oscillation period were found to compare favorably with predictions from linearized small-disturbance theory as long as the grid exceeded a critical density (100 nodes/wavelength). The numerical methodology was then exercised on a generic combustor configuration using both collapsed and distributed combustion zone models with a short nozzle admittance approximation for the outflow boundary. In these cases, the response parameters were varied to determine stability limits defining resonant coupling onset.

Litchford, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Flow visualization of a rocket injector spray using gelled propellant simulants

A study was conducted at NASA-Lewis to compare the atomization characteristics of gelled and nongelled propellant simulants. A gelled propellant simulant composed of water, sodium hydroxide, and an acrylic acid polymer resin (as the gelling agent) was used to simulate the viscosity of an aluminum/PR-1 metallized fuel gel. Water was used as a comparison fluid to isolate the rheological effects of the water-gel and to simulate nongelled RP-1. The water-gel was injected through the central orifice of a triplet injector element and the central post of a coaxial injector element. Nitrogen gas flowed through the outer orifices of the triplet injector element and through the annulus of the coaxial injector element and atomized the gelled and nongelled liquids. Photographs of the water-gel spray patterns at different operating conditions were compared with images obtained using water and nitrogen. A laser light was used for illumination of the sprays. The results of the testing showed that the water sprays produced a finer and more uniform atomization than the water-gel sprays. Rheological analysis of the water-gel showed poor atomization caused by high viscosity of water-gel delaying the transition to turbulence.

Green, James M.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Flow visualization of a rocket injector spray using gelled propellant simulants

A study was conducted at NASA-Lewis to compare the atomization characteristics of gelled and nongelled propellant simulants. A gelled propellant simulant composed of water, sodium hydroxide, and an acrylic acid polymer resin (as the gelling agent) was used to simulate the viscosity of an aluminum/PR-1 metallized fuel gel. Water was used as a comparison fluid to isolate the rheological effects of the water-gel and to simulate nongelled RP-1. The water-gel was injected through the central orifice of a triplet injector element and the central post of a coaxial injector element. Nitrogen gas flowed through the outer orifices of the triplet injector element and through the annulus of the coaxial injector element and atomized the gelled and nongelled liquids. Photographs of the water-gel spray patterns at different operating conditions were compared with images obtained using water and nitrogen. A laser light was used for illumination of the sprays. The results of the testing showed that the water sprays produced a finer and more uniform atomization than the water-gel sprays. Rheological analysis of the water-gel showed poor atomization caused by high viscosity of water-gel delaying the transition to turbulence.

Green, James M.↗
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 NTRS1995

Computing Instability In Combustion Of Liquid Propellants

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code developed for use in design analyses of flow instabilities associated with combustion of sprayed liquid propellants in rocket engines. Code also contributes to design of improved commercial sprayed-fuel combustors in furnaces and jet engines. Proves robust, user-friendly software tool with comprehensive analysis capability. Enables characterization of stability or instability of engine in terms of such physically meaningful parameters as initial conditions of spray, spatial distribution of ratio between concentrations of fuel and oxidizer at injector faces, geometry of combustor, and configurations of baffles.

Chen, Yen-Sen↗