Propulsion and Power Commons^™

Adopting A Kinetic Energy Recovery System For Helicopters, Nihad E. Daidzic

Aviation Department Publications

No abstract provided.

Qualitative Methods Used To Develop And Characterize The Circulation Control System On Cal Poly's Amelia, Eric N. Paciano

Master's Theses

The circulation control system onboard Cal Poly's Advanced Model for Extreme Lift and Improved Aeroacoustics was a critical component of a highly complex wind tunnel model produced in order to fulfill the requirements of a NASA Research Announcement awarded to David Marshall of the Aerospace Engineering Department. The model was based on a next generation, 150 passenger, regional, cruise efficient, short take-off and landing concept aircraft that achieved high lift through circulation control wings and over-the-wing mounted engines. The wind tunnel model was 10-ft in span, used turbine propulsion simulators, and had a functioning circulation control system driven from tunnel …

Kysat-2 Electrical Power System Design And Analysis, Brandon L. Molton

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the College of Science & Technology Morehead State University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science by Brandon L. Molton on June 4, 2013.

Ramjet Combustion Chamber, Paul Cameron Stone

Aerospace Engineering

A ramjet combustion chamber is designed and some initial assembly fabrication and test completed as a component of a ramjet graduate project for California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Supersonic Wind Tunnel. The combustor design is driven by a theoretical model created by a Cal Poly graduate student, Harrison Sykes. Temperature, pressure, and fuel flow will be measured.

Design And Fabrication Of A Ramjet Engine, Clinton C. Humphrey

Aerospace Engineering

In this report, the design and fabrication of the inlet to a ramjet engine is described. The inlet utilizes a single ramp and single sided three shock internal compression to slow the airflow from supersonic to subsonic speeds while providing maximum stagnation pressure to the combustor. The optimum angle for the inlet ramp is calculated to be 10° and it decelerates the airflow from Mach 3.3019 to Mach 0.5438. The stagnation pressure increases from 150 psi to 4.67 ksi. The material of the inlet is composed primarily of low carbon mild steel to accommodate the high pressure of the inlet.

Proof Of Concept For Propeller Performance Testing In The Cal Poly Wind Tunnel, Alex N. May, Clayton R. Green, Clinton J. Kirsop, Jason A. Schupp

Aerospace Engineering

The goal of this experiment was to execute a proof of concept for a potential propulsion systems laboratory. During the course of this experiment, a data acquisition system was designed, built, and tested in order to collect data from the Cal Poly 3x4 ft draw-down wind tunnel. By operating a brushless outrunner motor and propeller on the sting mount, data was collected for thrust, torque, RPM, current, voltage, and tunnel velocity. By obtaining data for each of these performance metrics, trends were analyzed to confirm the concept and apparatus was functional. The results of the experiment revealed that the concept …

Nozzle Design For The Supersonic Wind Tunnel Ramjet Attachment, Andrew Michael Carter

Aerospace Engineering

This document outlines the concept, design, and manufacturing stages of the nozzle section to the Ramjet Attachment. This project is a subsidiary of the thesis, Baseline Performance of Ramjet Engine”, developed by Harrison Sykes. The nozzle geometry is based off of theoretical calculations using Isentropic and Rayleigh line flow relations for a two-dimensional cross section. The nozzle sees an inlet temperature of 953 degrees Fahrenheit, pressure of 28 psi, and a Mach number of 0.356 after the combustion chamber. The nozzle section is a two foot long converging diverging nozzle to choke and accelerate the flow to achieve an exit …

Creation And Analysis Of An Electric And Magnetic Model Of A Micro Ion Thruster, Maxwell Bodnar

Aerospace Engineering

This report explores the magnetic and electric fields within the Cal Poly Miniature Xenon Ion (MiXI) Thruster V3 in order to create a comprehensive electric and magnetic model of the plasma chamber to analyze and test the current thruster configurations and changes to the existing thruster. This model is used to analyze the operation and efficiency of the ion thruster and the plasma environment within the plasma chamber. This model explores the ionization and electron collision rates during operation of the thruster to measure the efficiency of the current thruster configuration, also determining the theoretical Isp and thrust of the …

Design And Analysis Of Reusable Nozzles For Cal Poly’S Hybrid Rocket Lab, Cheyne Austin, Jose Vargas

Aerospace Engineering

Two nozzles were designed and constructed for testing in the Cal Poly propulsion laboratory to explore which nozzle was the most capable in producing the most thrust. A 15 degree and 30 degree converging-diverging nozzles were machined and tested. Theory suggest that a bell nozzle would be the most efficient since all of the gasses generated in the combustion chamber are directed and accelerated by the throat leave the nozzle traveling along the thrust axis. All of the momentum of the gasses are directed axially thus resulting in maximum thrust. Thrust should also be produced by the converging-diverging nozzle and …

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

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Nitrous oxide (N₂O), a commonly-used industrial gas, is also often used as a rocket motor oxidizer. It has been used in both hybrid rocket motors (using a solid fuel and a liquid oxidizer) and liquid rocket engines (using liquid fuel and oxidizer).

As a liquid form, nitrous oxide is highly stable, but in vapor form it can be decomposed, releasing large amounts of heat as it dissociates into nitrogen and oxygen. This project investigates using the energy from decomposing nitrous oxide to ignite a hybrid or liquid rocket. Such a system would be practical in rocket …

Computational Simulation Of Explosively Generated Pulsed Power Devices, Mollie C. Drumm

Theses and Dissertations

Technology and size constraints have limited the development of the end game mechanisms of today's modern military weapons. A smaller, more efficient means of powering these devices is needed, and explosive pulsed power devices could be that answer. While most prior research has been in the experimental field, there is a need for more theory-based research and a computer modeling capability. The objective of this research was to use experimental data collected by the US Army at Redstone Arsenal from their ferroelectric generator (FEG) design in combination with the ALEGRA-EMMA code to develop a computer model that can accurately represent …

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

Master's Theses

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 to 8,000ft/s depending on propellant pressure …

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 …

Solid-Fuel Regression Rate Modeling For Hybrid Rockets, Francesca Favaro, W. Sirignano, M. Manzoni, L. Deluca

Faculty Publications

The regression rate of the solid fuel is a primary parameter in the performance analysis for a hybrid rocket. Many studies in the past few years have theoretically claimed, or experimentally shown, a dependence of the regression rate on the chamber total pressure. Such behavior is generally traced back to the presence of oxygen below the flame zone and of heterogeneous reactions occurring at the surface and affecting the pyrolysis law. An experimental program was performed at the Space Propulsion Laboratory of the Politecnico di Milano showing, within the explored operating conditions and the associated uncertainty bands, a neutral trend …

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

Master's Theses

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; …

Analysis Of Magnetic Nozzle Design For Pulsed Fusion Propulsion System, Richard Hatcher, Milos Stanic, Jason T. Cassibry, J Loverich, M Kundrapu

Von Braun Symposium Student Posters

No abstract provided.

Development Of Tungsten Based Ceramic-Metallic Nuclear Fuel Containing Uranium Oxide For Nuclear Cryogenic Propulsion Stage Project, Jaewon Choi

Von Braun Symposium Student Posters

No abstract provided.

Fusion-Fission Hybrid Pulsed Propulsion System For Improved Space Transportation, Micah Laughmiller

Von Braun Symposium Student Posters

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Stacked Linear Transformer Drivers For Application In Nuclear Fusion Propulsion, Patrick Giddens

Von Braun Symposium Student Posters

No abstract provided.

Materials Selection Considerations For Z-Pinch Pulse-Powered Fusion Systems For Space Propulsion, Mitchell Rodriguez

Von Braun Symposium Student Posters

No abstract provided.