Propulsion and Power Commons^™

An Experimental Investigation Of A Goldschmied Propulsor, Joshua Roepke

Master's Theses and Project Reports

A wind tunnel investigation of an axisymmetric bluff body, known as a Goldschmied propulsor, was completed. This model conceptually combines boundary layer control and boundary layer ingestion into a single complementary system that is intended to use energy to reduce the axial force on the body by eliminating separation and increasing the pressure recovery aft of the body’s maximum thickness. The goal of the current project was to design, fabricate, and fully document the performance of a wind tunnel model incorporating the Goldschmied propulsor concept and complete an examination of its aerodynamic performance. The investigation took place at California ...

Axisymmetric Air Augmented Methanol/Gox Rocket Mixing Duct Experimental Thrust Study, Kyle Jacob Johnson

Master's Theses and Project Reports

A hot-flow axisymmetric Air Augmented Rocket (AAR) test apparatus was constructed to test various mixing duct configurations at static conditions. Primary flow for the AAR was provided through a liquid methanol-gaseous oxygen bipropellant rocket. Experimental thrust measurements were recorded and propellant mass flow rates and chamber conditions were calculated using an iterative solver dependant on recorded propellant line stagnation pressures. Primary rocket flow produced thrust ranging from 14 to 17.9lbf. Primary mass flow rate through testing ranged from 0.071 to 0.085lbm/s with calculated chamber pressures between 298-362psia. Calculated primary flow velocity ranged from 6,600ft/s ...

Design Of Economical Upper Stage Hybrid Rocket Engine, Christopher R. Potter

University of Tennessee Honors Thesis Projects

No abstract provided.

Smore Revision: Ignition And User Interface, Arash Mehrparvar

Aerospace Engineering

The Static Methanol Oxygen Rocket Engine (SMORE) has undergone several revisions since its inception. This latest revision aimed to increase startup reliability and user safety in the operation of the rocket. The implementation of maintenance procedures, safeguards in the ignition system, as well as construction of a new control box and redesign of the igniter itself have accomplished these goals while keeping costs down and without modifying the current rocket setup. Startup reliability has increased drastically, so long as all other rocket setup procedures are followed properly. 250 subsequent firings of the rocket have proven an igniter reliability of more ...

Catalytic Decomposition Of Nitrous Monopropellant For Hybrid Motor Ignition, Matthew D. Wilson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is an inexpensive and readily available non-toxic rocket motor oxidizer. It is the most commonly used oxidizer for hybrid bipropellant rocket systems, and several bipropellant liquid rocket designs have also used nitrous oxide. In liquid form, N2O is highly stable, but in vapor form it has the potential to decompose exothermically, releasing up to 1865 Joules per gram of vapor as it dissociates into nitrogen and oxygen. Consequently, it has long been considered as a potential "green" replacement for existing highly toxic and dangerous monopropellants. This project investigates the feasibility of using the nitrous oxide decomposition reaction ...

The Application Of Systems Engineering Principles To Model Lithium Ion Battery Voltage, George Gibbs

Master's Theses and Project Reports

The objective of this project is to present a Lithium Ion battery voltage model derived using systems engineering principles. This paper will describe the details of the model and the implementation of the model in practical use in a power system. Additionally, the model code is described and results of the model output are compared to battery cell test data. Finally, recommendations for increased model fidelity and capability are summarized.

The modeling theory has been previously documented in the literature but detailed implementation and application of the modeling theory is shown. The detailed battery cell test voltage profiles are proprietary ...

Parametric Instability Investigation And Stability Based Design For Transmission Systems Containing Face-Gear Drives, Meng Peng

Doctoral Dissertations

The objective of this dissertation is to provide a novel design methodology for face-gear transmissions based on system stability - a dynamics viewpoint. The structural dynamics models of transverse and torsional vibrations are developed for face-gear drives with spur pinions to investigate the parametric instability behavior in great depth. The unique face-gear meshing kinematics and the fluctuation of mesh stiffness due to a nonunity contact-ratio are considered in these models. Since the system is periodically timevarying, Floquet theory is utilized to solve the Mathieu-Hill system equations and determine the system stability numerically. To avoid complex numerical computations, Treglod’s approximation is ...

On Compressible Gaseous Motions In Swirl Dominated Combustors, Brian A. Maicke

Doctoral Dissertations

In this dissertation, a number of models are derived to describe swirling flows. Both generalized compressible Bragg-Hawthorne and vorticity-stream function frameworks are determined and left in a generic form suitable for describing a number of different scenarios. These systems are solved for the bidirectional vortex flowfield by means of a Rayleigh-Janzen perturbation, which expands the governing equations in terms of the Mach number squared. The resulting equations are solved to provide a semi-analytical solution after the evaluation of a handful of numerical integrals. These solutions further the understanding of compressible flow in swirl-combustors, as previous compressible studies are primarily experimental ...