Development and investigation of laboratory model low-thrust thermal catalytic thruster on “green propellant”

Аuthors

Goza D. A.

Experimental Design Bureau “Fakel”, 181, Moskovsky av, Kaliningrad, 236001, Russia

e-mail: info@fakel-russia.com

Abstract

“Green fuel” is an aqueous solution of a high-energy oxidizer (hydroxylammonium nitrate and others), and a fuel, presented by various substances, such as alcohols, glycerin, etc. It offers a number of advantages, namely, a higher density, low freezing temperature and high specific characteristics. Such mixtures relate to low-toxic substances, whereas hydrazine is a high-toxic substance. Thus, the “green fuel” mixture implementation as a monopropellant for an aircraft correction and orientation thermocathalytic thrusters is up-to-date issue.

Hydroxylammonium nitrate was sel ected as a basis for the “green fuel”, to which a fuel and dissolvent (water) are added in calculated ratio. The energetic qualities of the fuel depend on its basis, though its output characteristics are strongly affected by the water content in the mixture.

The laboratory model consists of a heater for the structure's starting warm-up of the, combustion chamber fr om refractory metal with a special protective coating, catalytic bed, consisted of a combination of metallic and granulated catalysts, an injector unit ensuring operating pressure differential, and a system of thermal screens.

The laboratory model presents a disassembling model to monitor separate elements of the structure. Besides, such model allows quick replacement of the thruster elements, such as the catalyst bed.

The laboratory model was tested in air under normal climatic conditions. The thruster was tested on firing functioning both in impulse and continuous operating modes.

The tests of the thrusters were conducted in continuous modes at the inlet's dropping pressure. It is worth mentioning that with the inlet's pressure decrease, the pressure in the combustion chamber decreases proportionally, which demonstrates the stability of the thruster operation.

The K100E laboratory model maximum run amounted to 1.5 kg of consumed fuel over 1500 start-ups. The main reason for the thruster's failure relates to the tests conduction in atmospheric conditions, namely to the oxidizing and destruction of separate parts of the laboratory model (heater, screens) under higher operating temperatures.

Keywords:

low thrust liquid rocket, thermal catalytic thruster, green monopropellant, ammonium dinitramide (ADN), hydroxylammonium nitrate (HNA), combustion chamber, injection unit, catalytic bed

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