2017 January 14
The team has been working hard this past semester and significant progress has been made. However, the team did not complete all of the goals we had set for this semester and are therefore slightly behind schedule. Some of the progress that was completed includes determining several major design parameters for the injector, the fuel and oxidizer tanks, and the feed system. It was decided that the feed system would be a pressure-regulated system, rather than a blow down system, utilizing helium gas as the pressurant. The type of discharge system for the tanks has been narrowed down to either a direct gas interface, or a piston displacement mechanism. Both systems will be studied further in order to determine which will be used on the final vehicle. For the time being, a direct gas displacement system will be designed for the fuel tank, while a piston displacement system will be used for the oxidizer tank. Image Reference: Sutton, G.P. and Biblarz, O.B. “Rocket propulsion elements,” John Wiley & Sons, 7th Ed., New York, 2001, p.6 |
For the pintle injector, both a fuel centered and oxidizer centered flow were examined, and it was decided that the central fluid would be the fuel, while the annulus fluid will be the oxidizer. The basic geometry (of the 1st iteration) was determined, and chosen to be similar to the figure shown. CAD models have been started and several variations of the manifold design are in progress. It is expected that after the 1st iteration of the injector is manufactured, it will be tested in order to experimentally determine several major parameters such as the discharge coefficients and pressure drops.
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