Injector Redesign for a Hydrogen Peroxide Monopropellant Thruster
Open Access
Author:
Wehner, Matthew Donald
Area of Honors:
Aerospace Engineering
Degree:
Bachelor of Science
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Rui Ni, Thesis Supervisor Robert Graham Melton, Thesis Honors Advisor
Keywords:
propulsion rocket space aerospace peroxide injector flow
Abstract:
The work performed in this thesis focuses on redesigning the injector in a hydrogen peroxide monopropellant thruster used for a prototype terrestrial flight vehicle. Preliminary injector concepts were drafted using computer-aided design, and basic simulation was performed to visualize possible flow scenarios. Injector designs were manufactured using 3D printing and were mounted on a 3D printed test rig that simulates the flow path upstream of the catalyst bed in the thruster. Water was flowed through injector designs to characterize their performance in terms of total flow rate and flow uniformity. Total weight flow was evaluated by collecting water flow over a period of 3 seconds. Flow uniformity was estimated by finding weight flow through certain portions of the injector, converting to velocity, and then finding an area-weighted flow uniformity index. A model closely resembling the original injector design and one new design were tested. The redesigned injector yielded 6% higher total weight flow but had a 32% lower flow uniformity index, so further work is required to arrive at a final design. To fully integrate the new design with the flight vehicle, qualification testing with the new injector in the peroxide thruster must be performed.
