Film Cooling of Liquid Hydrocarbon Engines for Operationally-Responsive Space Access
Abstract
This paper describes subscale, risk-reduction tests of an efficient method for applying a fuel film cooling (FFC) layer to the chamber wall of a liquid-hydrocarbon/gaseous-oxygen boost engine. The method reduces the amount of fuel required to meet wall temperature requirements relative to barrier film cooling approaches, thereby reducing the impact of FFC on specific impulse and contributing to a major AFRL IHPRPT goal for this propulsion category. The test specimens were designed and fabricated by Aerojet Corporation and make use of platelet technology to achieve a precise application of the film cooled layer. The test articles consist of two FFC panels, a calorimeter panel to establish baseline heat flux levels, and two injectors with differing levels of barrier film cooling. The principal measurement for characterizing the effectiveness of the panel designs will be the intact length of the FFC layer which will be measured using a combination of axially resolved heat flux measurements and post-test soot markings. Intact lengths will be measured for a range of fuel film injection flow rates and gas stream conditions. In this paper we report on a series of cold flow visualization tests utilizing stimulant fluids which were performed to provide additional insight into the behavior of the designs with respect to the levels of liquid stripping, entrainment and uniformity of the FFC layers.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 09, 2010
- Accession Number
- ADA521160
Entities
People
- E. B. Coy
- M. A. Lightfoot
- Stephen Alexander Schumaker
Organizations
- Air Force Research Laboratory