Experimental and Numerical Investigation of a Multi-Injector GOX-GCH4 Combustion Chamber

Abstract

In the current study results from an experimental investigation on an oxygen/methane multi-injector combustion chamber are presented. They provide detailed information about the thermal loads at the hot inner walls of the combustion chamber at representative rocket engine conditions and pressure ranges up to 40 bar. The present study aims to contribute to the understanding of the thermal transfer processes and of the interaction between the injectors and the injector-wall. Furthermore, the test results are used as a test case for the validation of the in-house engineering tool Thermtest. Due to the complex flow phenomena linked to the use of cryogenic propellants, like extreme variation of flow properties and steep temperature gradients, in combination with intensive chemical reactions, the problem has been partially simplified by injecting the propellants in gaseous form.