Experimental research on key technologies for future launcher propulsion

Paper number

IAC-06-C4.1.05

Author

Mr. Sebastian Soller, Technical University of Munich, Germany

Coauthor

Mr. Robert Wagner, Technical University of Munich, Germany

Coauthor

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Hans-Peter Kau, Technical University of Munich, Germany

Coauthor

Mr. Chris Maeding, EADS Astrium GmbH, Germany

Coauthor

Mr. Philip Martin, EADS Astrium GmbH, Germany

Year

2006

Abstract

Kerosene used as fuel for main stage rocket engines combines the advantages common to most hydrocarbons, such as ease of handling, moderate to low costs and a low toxicity, with one of the best volume to thrust ratios reducing the necessary structural weight. 

Although the design of main stage engines operating with an oxidizer rich staged combustion cycle has been already developed to a very high level of performance, as the Russian RD170 engine has proven in the recent years, key features still leave potential for improvement. A large variety of investigations concerned with injection, combustion and heat transfer can be accomplished on a laboratory and subscale level.

Together with EADS Space Transportation, the Institute of Flight Propulsion has set up a test facility to investigate key technologies of main stage engine design in the preface of future launcher propulsion development. The test bed is operated with kerosene and gaseous oxygen (GOX). Main objectives under investigation are: material testing for ox-rich combustion, investigation of ceramic matrix composite structures (CMC) for combustion chamber and nozzle applications, injector element design and performance evaluation, cooling issues like influence of GOX / kerosene combustion on heat flux, or aspects of film and transpiration cooling.

For these quite different applications and wide range of operational conditions the test bench offers several setups: 
To test materials with respect to their oxidation resistance in an ORCC gas generator, a heat sink combustion chamber of 35mm diameter with staged combustion zones has been developed, manufactured and qualified in a series of run-in tests at mixture ratios between 50 and 100. Tests were accomplished at a chamber pressure of 2.0 MPa and a detailed profile of the hot gas temperature has been recorded. 
To investigate the characteristics of different injector element designs, spray tests in an optical accessible chamber are conducted followed by first hot fire tests in a heat sink-single element thrust chamber.
A modular water cooled thrust chamber is used for a more detailed analysis of heat release, heat transfer to the cooled wall and combustion efficiency. Several pressure taps allow for the comparison of different pressure gradients caused by the elements’ typical heat release rates. Furthermore, the effects of film cooling and sooting can be studied using the temperature and pressure data recorded for each chamber segment separately.
The thrust chamber also provides hot gas at a wide operational pressure and mixture ratio envelope for qualification testing of CMC material samples and integral structures.
The paper presents the test facility and gives an overview over past, present and future research activities.

Abstract document

IAC-06-C4.1.05.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-06-C4.1.05.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.