Transpiration Cooled Throat for Hydrocarbon Rocket Engines
Abstract
This program's objective was to characterize the use of hydrocarbon fuels as transpiration coolants for rocket nozzle throats. The hydrocarbon fuels investigated in this program were RP-1 and methane. To adequately characterize the above transpiration coolants, a program was planned which would: (1) predict engine system performance and life enhancements due to transpiration cooling of the throat region using analytical models, anchored with available data; (2) a versatile transpiration cooled subscale rocket thrust chamber was designed and fabricated; (3) the subscale thrust chamber was tested over a limited range of conditions, e.g., coolant type, chamber pressure, transpiration cooled length, and coolant flowrate; and (4) detailed data analyses were conducted to determine the relationship between the key performance and life enhancement variables. Analysis of the RP-1 transpiration cooled nozzle data indicates that subscale nozzle RP-1 transpiration flowrates can be reduced by 67% of the value predicted by previous models. Extrapolation of these results indicates that the RP-1 transpiration flowrates for the full scale baseline 750 Klbf engine are reduced by 35%. Maximum Isp increase for the full scale RP-1 engine is revised from 3 to 10 seconds over a complete regeneratively cooled nozzle. Data obtained so far consists of only one high flowrate, low wall temperature test condition. Based on a single tet point, the data should be considered promising but not conclusive.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA244255
Entities
People
- Lee May
- Wendel M. Burkhardt
Organizations
- Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings