Diagnostic Developments for Velocity and Temperature Measurements in Uni-Element Rocket Environments

Abstract

Velocity and temperature measurements were taken within a uni-element rocket combustion chamber for hydrogen-oxygen propellants using laser Doppler velocimetry, thermocouples, and a thermocouple-based temperature rake developed for this effort. Velocity and turbulence profiles were obtained for firings with a gaseous oxygen (GO2)/gaseous hydrogen (GH2) coaxial shear injector at axial locations of 1.6 mm (0.063 in.), 6.4 mm (0.25 in.), 12.7 mm (0.5 in.), 25.4 mm (1 in.) and 50.8 mm (2 in.). Aluminum oxide particles of various sizes seeded the flow in an attempt to explain the discrepancies. While cold-flow simulations were promising, hot-fire results for the various particles were virtually identical and still lower than earlier data. The hot-firings were self-consistent and question the reproducibility of the previous data. Velocity measurements were made closer to the injector than the preceding work. Asymmetries were noted in all profiles. The shear layer displayed high turbulence levels. The central flow near the injector resembled turbulent pipe flow. Recirculation zones existed at the chamber walls and became smaller as the flow evolved downstream. The combusting flow region expanded with increasing axial distance. A thermocouple-instrumented coaxial injector was fired with GO2/GH2 propellants. The injector exit plane boundary conditions were determined. The feasibility of a thermocouple-based temperature rake was established. Tests at three axial positions for air/GM2 firings revealed asymmetric profiles. Temperatures increased with increasing axial distance.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 1995
Accession Number
ADA298555

Entities

People

  • Kenneth D. Philippart

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aluminum Oxides
  • Beds (Process Engineering)
  • Boundary Layer
  • Combustion
  • Combustion Chambers
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics
  • Data Acquisition
  • Fluid Dynamics
  • Fluid Flow
  • Fluid Mechanics
  • Heat Transfer
  • Heat Transfer Coefficients
  • Hydrodynamics
  • Lasers
  • Liquid Oxygen
  • Measurement
  • Turbulent Mixing

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Combustion and Flow Dynamics.
  • Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Dynamics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy