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Catalyzed ignition of bipropellants in microtubes
| Content Provider | NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) |
|---|---|
| Author | Boyarko, George A. Sung, Chih-Jen Schneider, Steven J. |
| Copyright Year | 2003 |
| Description | This paper addresses the need to understand the physics and chemistry involved in propellant combustion processes in micro-scale combustors for propulsion systems on micro-spacecraft. These spacecraft are planned to have a mass less than 50 kilograms with attitude control estimated to be in the 10 milli-Newton thrust class. These combustors are anticipated to be manufactured using Micro Electrical Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology and are expected to have diameters approaching the quenching diameter of the propellants. Combustors of this size are expected to benefit significantly from surface catalysis processes. Miniature flame tube apparatus is chosen for this study because microtubes can be easily fabricated from known catalyst materials and their simplicity in geometry can be used in fundamental simulations to more carefully characterize the measured heat transfer and pressure losses for validation purposes. Experimentally, we investigate the role of catalytically active surfaces within 0.4 and 0.8 mm internal diameter micro-tubes, with special emphases on ignition and extinction processes in fuel rich gaseous hydrogen and gaseous oxygen. Flame thickness and reaction zone thickness calculations predict that the diameters of our test apparatus are below the quenching diameter of the propellants in sub-atmospheric tests. Temperature and pressure rises in resistively heated platinum and palladium micro-tubes are used as an indication of exothermic reactions. Specific data on mass flow versus preheat temperature required to achieve ignition are presented. |
| File Size | 1080474 |
| Page Count | 17 |
| File Format | |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://archive.org/details/NASA_NTRS_Archive_20030022776 |
| Archival Resource Key | ark:/13960/t7kq2zh9n |
| Language | English |
| Publisher Date | 2003-02-01 |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Subject Keyword | Spacecraft Propulsion And Power Combustion Chemistry Low Thrust Propulsion Liquid Rocket Propellants Rocket Engines Computerized Simulation Propellant Combustion Chemical Propulsion Spacecraft Propulsion Temperature Measurement Combustion Physics Exothermic Reactions Applications Programs Computers Pressure Measurement Microstructure Heat Transfer Ntrs Nasa Technical Reports Server (ntrs) Nasa Technical Reports Server Aerodynamics Aircraft Aerospace Engineering Aerospace Aeronautic Space Science |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Technical Report |
