Viatcheslav Naoumov

Hybrid Propellant Rocket Engine Test Fixture and Research on the Combustion of Non-Conventional Fuels

This paper introduces the first step of the research performed by the Central Connecticut State University faculty/student research team on the combustion of nonconventional fuels in a small-scale Hybrid Propellant Rocket Engine (HPRE). The long-term goal of the research was to investigate the combustion of non-conventional bio-derived fuels such as beeswax, lard, with different oxidizers (oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, nitrous oxide) along with additives such as aluminum powder; and to obtain approximation formulas for the calculation of regression rates for listed propellants and propellants with additives. A small-scale HPRE, test fixture and instrumentation system have been designed, manufactured and assembled. To validate proper operation of the engine, test facility and instrumentation system, the first tests focused primarily on the combustion of paraffin and bee’s wax with oxygen. Initial experiments were performed; experimental data were collected and followed by comparison with theoretical data, calculated using computer code, created by authors. The approximation formulas for the calculation of the regression rates of the paraffin with oxygen were obtained and compared with existing data of other researchers.

Senior Capstone Design Project for Aerospace Specialization and Student-Faculty Research on Propulsion

In Fall 2010 Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) Engineering Department offered Mechanical Engineering (ME) students a new senior capstone design project, oriented towards the Aerospace specialization of the ME program. The main goal of the project was to perform research on the combustion of non-conventional fuels using a smallscale hybrid propellant rocket engine (HPRE), test fixture, and advanced instrumentation system. Paraffin was utilized as the fuel for the first set of tests, which provided verification of the operation of the HPRE. During the 2010/11 – 2011/12 academic years, the CCSU student teams designed and built a small-scale HPRE, test fixture, and instrumentation system for the study of the combustion of non-conventional fuels and the investigation of fuels regression rates. The first sets of research data on the regression rates of paraffin with oxygen were obtained and compared with existing data in 2011/12. The design of the test facility and results of preliminary tests were presented at 50 th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit. This paper illustrates problems the student team was faced with during testing, describes the improvements of the test fixture and instrumentation system, and demonstrates first research results of the tests and numerical analysis. The multidisciplinary nature of the project provided ME students with an excellent opportunity to apply their knowledge, skills, and experience from a variety of courses such as Propulsion Systems, Engineering Thermodynamics, Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics, Instrumentation, and Machine Design to the real-life design and research.

Design Project for Aerospace Specialization and Student Research on the Combustion of Bio-Derived Rocket Fuels

The paper describes experience of the offering to Mechanical Engineering (ME) students which pursue aerospace specialization, the design/research Hybrid Propellant Rocket Engine (HPRE) project. HPRE project was started in 2010as the design of the test facility and instrumentation system for long-term research of the combustion of non-conventional bio-derived hybrid propellant rocket fuels such as paraffin, beeswax, lard with different oxidizers (oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, nitrous oxide) including combustion of above fuels with additives, and obtaining regression rates formulas for listed propellants. A small-scale HPRE, test fixture and instrumentation system have been designed, manufactured, assembled and used for the research and analysis of the combustion. The results of the research of combustion of paraffin wax performed in 2011/12 academic year were presented at 51 AIAA Meeting and Exhibit. Paper describes the improvements of the test bench and instrumentation system performed for the extension of research and measurement of additional parameters as well as results of the study of combustion of bee’s wax with oxygen and paraffin enriched by aluminum powder with oxygen. Paper represents new findings, such as regression rate formulas for bee’s wax combustion, and first attempts of the estimation of losses of unburned fuel. Paper illustrates problems the student team was faced with during performing of challenging project with emphasize on the multidisciplinary nature of the project provided ME students with an excellent opportunity to apply their knowledge, skills, and experience from a variety of courses to the real-life design and research.

Research on the Combustion of Bio-Derived Fuels in Hybrid Propellant Rocket Engine

Paper describes the extension of the research of the combustion of non-conventional bioderived fuels in a small-scale Hybrid Propellant Rocket Engine (HPRE) started in 2010. The long-term goal of the research is the investigation of the combustion of non-conventional bioderived fuels such as paraffin, beeswax, lard with different oxidizers (oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, nitrous oxide), including combustion of above fuels with additives, and obtaining regression rate formulas for listed propellants. The small-scale HPRE, test fixture and instrumentation system have been designed, manufactured, assembled and used for the study and analysis of the combustion. The results of the research of combustion of paraffin were presented at the 51 AIAA Meeting and Exhibit. Paper summarizes the results of the study of combustion of bee’s wax with oxygen and represents regression rate formulas. Experimental data were compared with theoretical results and existing data of other researchers. The paper also describes indirect method and shows preliminary results of the estimation of losses of unburned fuel, based on the measurements of exit temperature of combustion products and calculation of actual values of the equivalence ratios and combustion temperatures in the combustion chamber of HPRE.

NASA Project in ME Senior Capstone Design Class: Experience and Pedagogical Issues

A significant way to attract engineering students to the space issues is to implement exciting NASA student programs into the senior-year capstone design experience. In spring semester 2008 Central Connecticut State University Department of Engineering offered new project, named “Lunar Rover Vehicle”, as senior capstone design project. The project requires human powered vehicle design, fabrication and participation, on a competitive basis, in NASA’s program “The Great Moonbuggy Race”. This initiative has demonstrated that such programs are very suitable in offering senior Engineering Technology students unique opportunities to improve their analytical skills, develop design skills, gain experience in working in multi-disciplinary teams, solve cuttingedge engineering problems, and familiarize themselves with aerospace future challenges. These measurable outcomes are in-line with the competencies required by the accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology(ABET)

Combustion of Bio-derived Fuels With Additives and Research on the Losses of Unburned Fuel in Hybrid Propellant Rocket Engines

The paper represents the study of combustion of paraffin and paraffin with aluminum powder in a small-scale Hybrid Propellant Rocket Engine (HPRE). This study is a part of the long-term research of specific features of combustion using non-conventional bio-derived hybrid rocket fuels such as paraffin, beeswax, lard, and bio-derived fuels with additives which are non-toxic and non-explosive along with different oxidizers. Such fuels could replace conventional toxic and explosive fuels, and are planned to be used on the NASA sounding rockets. The goal of the research is to study the combustion of bio-derived fuels, obtain regression rates, compare operational parameters of HPREs and investigate losses of melted unburned bio-derived fuels. A small-scale HPRE, test fixture and instrumentation system have been designed, manufactured, assembled and used for the combustion research and analysis. The results of the research were presented at the 50 and 51 AIAA Meeting and Exhibits, and SciTech, 52 Aerospace Sciences Meeting. The following paper summarizes recent research results on the combustion of paraffin and paraffin with aluminum powder, represents new findings, such as regression rate formulas for the combustion of paraffin wax with 10% of aluminum powder obtained for two different grain port diameters, and discusses novel methodology and results for prediction of losses of unburned fuel based on the combustion products exhaust plume temperature measurements and thermodynamic calculations of the combustion of bio-derived fuels.

Undergraduate Research on Peculiarities of the Combustion of Ecologically Clean Paraffin Wax Fuels in Hybrid Propellant Rocket Engines

The paper describes the student-faculty research of the combustion of non-conventional bio-derived fuels in a lab-scale Hybrid Propellant Rocket Engine (HPRE). The long-term goal of the senior capstone project is to study specific features of combustion of nonconventional bio-derived hybrid propellant rocket fuels such as paraffin, beeswax, and lard, which are non-toxic and non-explosive with different oxidizers. Combustion of above fuels with additives (aluminum powder) was studied as well. The study was concentrated on the obtaining of regression rates (velocities of the combustion) for the listed propellants, and investigating losses of melted unburned bio-derived fuels. Such fuels could replace conventional toxic and explosive fuels, and are planned to be used on the NASA sounding rockets. A lab-scale HPRE, test fixture and instrumentation system have been designed, manufactured, assembled and used for the research and analysis of combustion. More than 60 tests were performed to study the specific features of combustion using paraffin and bee’s wax. The results of the study were presented at 51 AIAA Meeting and Exhibits, and SciTech, 52 Aerospace Sciences Meeting. This paper summarizes 2013/14 research results on the combustion of paraffin and paraffin with aluminum powder; represents new findings, such as regression rate formulas for paraffin wax combustion with 10% of aluminum powder obtained for two different diameters of the grain ports; the paper also illuminates the study of the losses of unburned paraffin wax and discusses novel methodology of the prediction of losses of unburned fuel based on the measurements of the temperature of the exhaust plum of combustion products.

CCSU Moonbuggy Vehicle Design, Building and Competition

In Spring 2008 Central Connecticut State University Department of Engineering offered a new project, named “Lunar Rover Vehicle”, as a senior capstone design project. Main goals of the project were to attract engineering students to aerospace related applications and implement existing NASA educational programs in a senior capstone real-world design challenge. In Spring 2008 engineering technology student team developed conceptual schematics of Moonbuggy vehicle, calculated and optimized several parameters of the frame, suspension system, and transmission mechanism. Many components of Moonbuggy frame, suspension and transmission were designed. In fall 2008, the new mechanical engineering major student team continued working on the existing vehicle. The initial findings were presented at the 47 AIAA Aerospace Science Meeting (Orlando, FL, January 5-8, 2009). In spring 2009 Mechanical Engineering students completed the design and fabrication of Moonbuggy vehicle and participated in 16 NASA Great Moonbuggy Races. Three semesters of experience with the project demonstrated that it is very suitable for offering engineering students unique opportunities to improve their analytical abilities, develop design, organizational and project management skills, gain experience in working in multidisciplinary teams, solve cutting-edge engineering problems, and familiarize themselves with aerospace challenges which will positively impact and enhance their chances of success as practicing engineers.

Droplet Entrainment in Two-Phase Flow Under Reduced Gravity

Liquid droplets entrained in concurrent gas flows were investigated under reduced gravity condition produced by parabolic flight paths onboard a NASA C-9 research aircrafts. Reduced gravity results were compared with terrestrial ones. Microgravity tests were performed at two water flow rates,. The results shows that pressure drop in the test section is higher under reduced gravity as compared to normal gravity. Preliminary results indicate that for horizontal or slightly inclined channels in normal gravity, gravity plays a stabilizing role. It is shown that critical gas velocities characterizing the entrainment onset for reduced gravity tests are lower than the corresponding normal gravity results at the same water flow rate.

CHEMICAL KINETICS SOFTWARE SYSTEM FOR THE PROPULSION AND POWER ENGINEERING

It is a well known fact that the problem of modeling and simulation of chemical composition of c ombustion products is one of the main problems in the deal of developing of mathematical models of high -temperature processes in propulsion and power generation systems. The original physical scheme, mathematical model and universal software for the pr ediction of chemical non -equilibrium composition of the combustion products have been developed by the authors. One of the best features is the flexibility in the adaptation of this basic model and software to the creation of different mathematical mode ls of high temperature processes in the wide range of propulsion and power generation systems. A lot of mathematical models and computer codes for the prediction and investigation of operational and ecological parameters of propulsion and power generation systems have been developed on the base of above mentioned basic model and software. The detailed description of basic model and some examples of its application to the simulation and analysis of combustion and flow in propulsion and power generation systems is presented in this paper.