TUNGSTEN AND ROCKET MOTORS
Abstract
This study is concerned with the interactions between tungsten and the exhaust constituents from solid-propellant rocket motors. Chemical reactions between tungsten, alumina, and the individual gaseous exhaust constituents were studied in a reaction chamber in which the tungsten specimen was heated by direct resistance. Relative reaction rates were determined by the weight loss of the tungsten sample during a standard run of two minutes duration. In order (over) to extend the range of the reaction studies to cover the pressures observed in actual rocket firing tests, a high-pressure chamber was designed to operate at 1000 psi. The manifold and all necessary connections were tested for introducing water vapor, CO2, CO, H2 N2, and HCl gas into the reaction chamber. In order to study the effects of erosion of gases at high temperature and high velocity, and of impingement of high-velocity alumina particles or droplets, attempts were made to adapt a plasma torch as a rocket exhaust simulator. An analysis was made of the behavior of tungsten under heat-shock conditions. Under brittle-fracture conditions, a crack will initiate at the outer surface of the nozzle liner at a particular level of tensile stress. If the section is not free to deform in bending, then this particular tensile strain corresponds to a characteristic relative temperature distribution, independent of section thickness. However, the time required varies as the square of the thickness, hence the strain rate at the outer liner surface varies inversely as the square of liner thickness. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 03, 1961
- Accession Number
- AD0248727
Entities
People
- Oliver Preston
Organizations
- SRI International