DETERMINATION OF PROPELLANT RECIRCULATION ON A 1/30 SCALE ATLAS MODEL USING RARE GAS TRACER TECHNIQUES,

Abstract

A 1/30 scale model of the Atlas missile was tested in the NACA Wind Tunnel to study the characteristics of recirculation and heating by fuel-rich rocket and turbine exhaust gases burning in the vicinity of the blunt aft section of the missile. A method to determine the relative contributions from these gaseous sources was devised based on the sampling and analysis of tracer gases added to the propellants. One percent helium and one percent neon, respectively, were added to the rocket and turbine gases. Naturally occurring air contains about one percent argon. Samples from the base region were withdrawn through a set of tubes during the rocket firingg. The proportions of helium, neon and argon were determined with a mass spectrometer, and from these proportions by weight of rocket propellant, turbine exhaust, and air at the point of sampling were calculated. Thus, the presence and source of a mixture with potential heating value in the base region was determined. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 14, 1958
Accession Number
AD0829814

Entities

People

  • A. S. Frisch
  • John T. Neu

Organizations

  • General Dynamics

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Calorific Value
  • Combustion
  • Exhaust Gases
  • Gases
  • Mass Spectrometers
  • Models
  • Propellants
  • Rocket Propellants
  • Sampling
  • Scale Models
  • Spectrometers
  • Wind Tunnels

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Aerodynamics/Aeronautics.
  • Combustion science or combustion engineering.
  • Mathematics or Statistics