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Numerical Investigation of a N2O/HTPB Hybrid Rocket Motor with a Dual-Vortical-Flow (DVF) Design

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 January 2017

A. Lai ,
Y. C. Lin ,
S. S. Wei ,
T. H. Chou ,
J. W. Lin ,
J. S. Wu  and
Y. S. Chen
A. Lai
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical EngineeringNational Chiao Tung UniversityHsinchu, Taiwan
Y. C. Lin
Affiliation:
Taiwan Innovative Space, Inc.Miaoli, Taiwan
S. S. Wei
Affiliation:
Taiwan Innovative Space, Inc.Miaoli, Taiwan
T. H. Chou
Affiliation:
Taiwan Innovative Space, Inc.Miaoli, Taiwan
J. W. Lin
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical EngineeringNational Chiao Tung UniversityHsinchu, Taiwan
J. S. Wu*
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical EngineeringNational Chiao Tung UniversityHsinchu, Taiwan
Y. S. Chen
Affiliation:
National Space OrganizationNational Applied Research LaboratoriesHsinchu, Taiwan
*
*Corresponding author (chongsin@faculty.nctu.edu.tw)
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Abstract

A compact hybrid rocket motor design that incorporates a dual-vortical-flow (DVF) concept is proposed. The oxidizer (nitrous oxide, N2O) is injected circumferentially into various sections of the rocket motor, which are sectored by several solid fuel “rings” (made of hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene, HTPB) that are installed along the central axis of the motor. The proposed configuration not only increases the residence time of the oxidizer flow, it also implies an inherent “roll control” capability of the motor. Based on a DVF motor geometry with a designed thrust level of 11.6 kN, the characteristics of the turbulent reacting flow within the motor and its rocket performance were analyzed with a comprehensive numerical model that implements both real-fluid properties and finite-rate chemistry. Data indicate that the vacuum specific impulse (Isp) of the DVF motor could reach 278 s. The result from a preliminary ground test of a lab-scale DVF hybrid rocket motor (with a designed thrust level of 3,000 N) also shows promising performance. The proposed DVF concept is expected to partly resolve the issue of scalability, which remains challenging for hybrid rocket motors development.

Keywords

Hybrid rocket motorComputational fluid dynamicsDual-vortical-flow designN2O/HTPB
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Mechanics , Volume 33 , Issue 6 , December 2017 , pp. 853 - 862
Copyright
Copyright © The Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics 2017 

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