2017 Volume 65 Issue 4 Pages 157-167
In this study, the authors conducted twice experiments to verify the throttling characteristics of axial-injection end-burning hybrid rockets. Oxidizer mass flow rate and chamber pressure were throttled by actuating valves in a fluid circuit consisting of two oxidizer supply lines. Chamber pressure and oxidizer mass flow rate were measured during each firing. The results show that oxidizer to fuel ratio remains constant for similar values of oxidizer mass flow rate. However, two weak points were identified in these throttling firing tests. First, a pressure transient was observed when oxidizer mass flow rate was increased (turn-up operation). The pressure transient consisted of two distinguishable first order lags, a fast lag followed by a slow lag, which are treated by separate curve fitting functions. The fast response is explained by a thermal lag in the solid fuel, whereas the slow response requires further inquiry. Second, the chamber pressure history exhibited hysteresis characteristics of oxidizer mass flow rate due to the increasing fuel regression rate. Therefore, in the throttling tests where oxidizer flow rate was turned-up and returned to the initial condition twice back-to-back, the chamber pressure history was higher in the second iteration than in the first.
