Thermal decomposition of hydrogen peroxide may provide significant weight, operability, envelope, and cost benefits over traditional catalytic decomposition units used in propulsion and energy systems. However, no proven methods exist for the design ofreliable and efficient thermal decomposition… More

The majority of liquid bipropellant engines in the United States employ impinging jet injectors. While they offer moderately high combustion efficiency and are design from an extensive knowledgebase, impinging jet injectors have several drawbacks including low thrust per element, instabilities,… More

MDA is interested in the development of hydrogen peroxide/hydrocarbon engines for liquid target vehicles. A large reduction in engine weight (~75%) and technical risk are possible by eliminating the large catalyst beds that decompose the hydrogen peroxide before it enters the combustion chamber,… More

The need for munitions insensitive to stimuli possible to occur in the logistical and operational life cycle of the munition is paramount for safeguarding life and property. Research to produce IM-compliant solid propulsion systems has primarily focused in two areas: advanced case materials/designs… More

While guidelines for stable combustion in certain engine cycles and propellant combinations exist; there is no proven, mechanistic predictive model, particularly for high-performance liquid hydrocarbon-fueled engines. IN Space and Purdue propose to fill this critical need by developing a "testbed"… More

Gases trapped in the propellant feed lines of space-based rocket engines due to cryogenic propellant boil-off or pressurant ingestion can result in poor combustion efficiencies, combustion instabilities, or long startup transients. To assist NASA in the use of the high performing liquid oxygen… More

Energy management in missile systems can provide substantial performance advantages, especially for modern missiles capable of all-aspect engagements. Maximum flexibility is offered by a system that can be throttled, shut off entirely and restarted when needed. The proposed project aims to achieve… More

The potential for combustion instability has historically been a hindrance in developing rocket engines, and nearly always represents the major technical risk in engine developments. This proposal addresses innovative approaches toward prediction of liquid rocket engine combustion instability, as… More

The need for munitions insensitive to unplanned stimuli possible in the logistical and operational life cycle of a munition is paramount for safeguarding life and property. To help meet this need, IN Space and Purdue University have developed a new class of composite solid rocket propellant based… More

Hydrazine-based fuels and nitrogen tetroxide-based oxidizers have been the propellants of choice for many propulsion systems over the last several decades due to the propellant combination's high specific impulse, storability, rapid hypergolic ignition, and moderate densities. Unfortunately, these… More

The combination of complex physics and extremely severe combustor environments presents a formidable challenge to engineers who must ensure that high-pressure, high-performance rocket engines are stable from combustion instabilities. We propose here an improved methodology for predicting the… More

Toxicity and fire risks associated with monomethylhydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide must be mitigated for the continued fielding of divert and attitude control systems for MDA interceptors. In a Phase I study, IN Space, Ansul and Purdue University characterized a system allowing for simple… More

ABSTRACT: A joint experimental and computational project using a carefully designed, flexible test article is proposed to assess the velocity-coupled combustion response of a representative liquid rocket injector element to transverse acoustic disturbances. In the proposed Phase II, the response of… More