Solar Rocket Plume/Mirror Interactions.

Abstract

The extent to which the plume from a solar thermal rocket will impinge on the solar collector is studied by flowfield analysis. Such interaction can adversely affect collector performance through fouling, excessive heat loading, or pressure loads that deform the delicate structures. The geometrical shape of the collector is such that only the flow from the nozzle boundary layer can reach it, but the thrust levels of interest lead to very viscous nozzle flows with large, thick boundary layers. Calculations based on continuum theory appear adequate for determining the fraction of the plume that hits the collector, but transitional and rarefied effects are needed to ascertain the details of the distribution along the surface. Results show that both pressure and heat transfer effects are low, but that increase as the chamber pressure or the thrust size is reduced. Keywords: Solar rocket propulsion; Plume/Mirror interactions; Thermal propulsion systems.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 1988
Accession Number
ADA194160

Entities

People

  • Charles L. Merkle
  • Sheng-tao Yu

Organizations

  • Pennsylvania State University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Boundary Layer
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics
  • Coordinate Systems
  • Electric Propulsion
  • Fluid Dynamics
  • Geometry
  • Heat Flux
  • Heat Transfer
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Mechatronic Engineering
  • Pressure Distribution
  • Propulsion Systems
  • Rocket Propulsion
  • Solar Propulsion
  • Specific Impulse
  • Thermal Propulsion Systems
  • Two Dimensional

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Aerosol Science/Aerosol Physics
  • Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Dynamics.
  • Rocket Propulsion.