Proceedings ArticleDOI
Oxidizer Enhanced Hybrid Rocket Engine: Regression Rates and Performance
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In this paper, the authors explore the performance and safety implications associated with the oxidizer enhanced fuel grain by the use of a laboratory scale hybrid rocket engine test stand, which has the ability to measure thrust, chamber pressure, line pressure and gaseous oxidizer flow rates.Abstract:
Hybrid rocket motors have a significant advantage over solid and liquid rockets in that they are intrinsically safer. Keeping the liquid oxidizer separate from the solid fuel grain inhibits the two propellants from mixing rapidly and eliminates the potential of a serious explosion. However, the inability of the oxidizer and fuel to mix quickly in a typical hybrid rocket motor results in low propellant burning rates causing a reduction in performance. This is a result of a fundamental difference in the combustion process. A classic solid rocket motor produces a premixed (faster burning) flame, whereas a hybrid rocket engine produces a diffusion (slower burning) flame due to the oxidizer and fuel mixing mainly through diffusion processes. The addition of solid oxidizers into the hybrid fuel grain has the potential to increase the burning rate of the fuel grain. This causes the combustion zone to act more like that of a solid rocket motor. Also, if the solid oxidizer levels are kept below stoichiometric values, a rapid combustion reaction cannot take place in the solid fuel, preserving the safe characteristics of hybrid. This paper will explore the performance and safety implications associated with the oxidizer enhanced fuel grain by the use of a laboratory scale hybrid rocket engine test stand. The test stand has the ability to measure thrust, chamber pressure, line pressure and gaseous oxidizer flow rates. The thrust is measured via a strain gauge mounted on a spring steel thrust stand. Laboratory scale Hydroxyl-Terminated Polybutadiene (HTPB) /Ammonium Nitrate (NH4NO3) /Oxygen (O2) hybrid rocket engine performance is compared verses their solid oxidizer content. Analysis of the data produces empirical regression rates. To compare the relative safety of the hybrid propellants, samples of HTPB hybrid propellant were mixed with various percentages of ammonium nitrate. The samples were exposed to an ignition source and their ability to self sustain combustion was recorded.read more
Citations
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Proceedings ArticleDOI
Hybrid Propellant Rocket Engine Test Fixture and Research on the Combustion of Non-Conventional Fuels
TL;DR: In this article, the first step of the research performed by the Central Connecticut State University faculty/student research team on the combustion of nonconventional fuels in a small-scale Hybrid Propellant Rocket Engine (HPRE) was introduced.
Proceedings ArticleDOI
Senior Capstone Design Project for Aerospace Specialization and Student-Faculty Research on Propulsion
TL;DR: In 2010, Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) Engineering Department offered Mechanical Engineering (ME) students a new senior capstone design project, oriented towards the Aerospace specialization of the ME program.
Proceedings ArticleDOI
Design Project for Aerospace Specialization and Student Research on the Combustion of Bio-Derived Rocket Fuels
Viatcheslav Naoumov,Nidal A. Al Masoud,Peggy Sansevero,Lucian Guadagnoli,Anne Marie Moni,David Loukides +5 more
TL;DR: The HPRE project as mentioned in this paper was started in 2010 as the design of the test facility and instrumentation system for long-term research of the combustion of non-conventional bio-derived hybrid propellant rocket fuels such as paraffin, beeswax, lard with different oxidizers (oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, nitrous oxide) including combustion of above fuels with additives, and obtaining regression rates formulas for listed propellants.
Proceedings ArticleDOI
Research on the Combustion of Bio-Derived Fuels in Hybrid Propellant Rocket Engine
Viatcheslav Naoumov,Nicole Knochenhauer,Peggy Sansevero,Goldreich Adam,Corey Freeto,Tyler Kimiecik,Oaty Frye +6 more
TL;DR: The results of the research of combustion of paraffin were presented at the 51 AIAA Meeting and Exhibit and represents regression rate formulas in this article, and preliminary results of losses of unburned fuel, based on the measurements of exit temperature of combustion products and calculation of actual values of the equivalence ratios and combustion temperatures in the combustion chamber of HPRE.
References
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Book
Rocket Propulsion Elements
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors defined and defined the fundamentals of solid propellant rocket propulsion systems, including propulsion system design, propulsion system parameters, and propulsion system performance analysis, as well as propulsion system testing.
Journal ArticleDOI
Fuel Regression Rate in Hydroxyl-Terminated-Polybutadiene/ Gaseous-Oxygen Hybrid Rocket Motors
TL;DR: The results of a systematic experimental investigation on the methods of enhancing the regression rate in hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) fuel used in an HTPB/gaseous oxygen hybrid motor are presented in this paper.
A Labscale Hybrid Rocket Motor for Instrumentation Studies
Robert B. Shanks,M. Keith Hudson +1 more
TL;DR: In this article, the authors developed a lab-scale hybrid rocket motor testbed for the development of plume spectroscopy instrumentation, which has proven to be safe and inexpensive to operate.
A Ground Test Rocket Thrust Measurement System
TL;DR: In this paper, a strain gauge measurement system is described for rocket motor ground testing, which uses sigmoid beams to hold the rocket motor in place, with the strain gauges mounted on these beams.