Challenges of Ablatively Cooled Hybrid Rockets for Satellites or Upper Stages
Ablative-cooled hybrid rockets could potentially combine a similar versatility of a liquid propulsion system with a much simplified architecture. These characteristics make this kind of propulsion attractive, among others, for applications such as satellites and upper stages. In this paper, the use...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Aerospace |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/8/7/190 |
| _version_ | 1797527838833770496 |
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| author | Francesco Barato |
| author_facet | Francesco Barato |
| author_sort | Francesco Barato |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ablative-cooled hybrid rockets could potentially combine a similar versatility of a liquid propulsion system with a much simplified architecture. These characteristics make this kind of propulsion attractive, among others, for applications such as satellites and upper stages. In this paper, the use of hybrid rockets for those situations is reviewed. It is shown that, for a competitive implementation, several challenges need to be addressed, which are not the general ones often discussed in the hybrid literature. In particular, the optimal thrust to burning time ratio, which is often relatively low in liquid engines, has a deep impact on the grain geometry, that, in turn, must comply some constrains. The regression rate sometime needs to be tailored in order to avoid unreasonable grain shapes, with the consequence that the dimensional trends start to follow some sort of counter-intuitive behavior. The length to diameter ratio of the hybrid combustion chamber imposes some packaging issues in order to compact the whole propulsion system. Finally, the heat soak-back during long off phases between multiple burns could compromise the integrity of the case and of the solid fuel. Therefore, if the advantages of hybrid propulsion are to be exploited, the aspects mentioned in this paper shall be carefully considered and properly faced. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:48:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0821c29cd96245b2aa860590dc2692b8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2226-4310 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:48:32Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Aerospace |
| spelling | doaj.art-0821c29cd96245b2aa860590dc2692b82023-11-22T02:56:22ZengMDPI AGAerospace2226-43102021-07-018719010.3390/aerospace8070190Challenges of Ablatively Cooled Hybrid Rockets for Satellites or Upper StagesFrancesco Barato0Department of Industrial Engineering, Università degli Studi di Padova, 35131 Padova, ItalyAblative-cooled hybrid rockets could potentially combine a similar versatility of a liquid propulsion system with a much simplified architecture. These characteristics make this kind of propulsion attractive, among others, for applications such as satellites and upper stages. In this paper, the use of hybrid rockets for those situations is reviewed. It is shown that, for a competitive implementation, several challenges need to be addressed, which are not the general ones often discussed in the hybrid literature. In particular, the optimal thrust to burning time ratio, which is often relatively low in liquid engines, has a deep impact on the grain geometry, that, in turn, must comply some constrains. The regression rate sometime needs to be tailored in order to avoid unreasonable grain shapes, with the consequence that the dimensional trends start to follow some sort of counter-intuitive behavior. The length to diameter ratio of the hybrid combustion chamber imposes some packaging issues in order to compact the whole propulsion system. Finally, the heat soak-back during long off phases between multiple burns could compromise the integrity of the case and of the solid fuel. Therefore, if the advantages of hybrid propulsion are to be exploited, the aspects mentioned in this paper shall be carefully considered and properly faced.https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/8/7/190hybrid rocketsupper stagessatellite propulsionablative cooling |
| spellingShingle | Francesco Barato Challenges of Ablatively Cooled Hybrid Rockets for Satellites or Upper Stages Aerospace hybrid rockets upper stages satellite propulsion ablative cooling |
| title | Challenges of Ablatively Cooled Hybrid Rockets for Satellites or Upper Stages |
| title_full | Challenges of Ablatively Cooled Hybrid Rockets for Satellites or Upper Stages |
| title_fullStr | Challenges of Ablatively Cooled Hybrid Rockets for Satellites or Upper Stages |
| title_full_unstemmed | Challenges of Ablatively Cooled Hybrid Rockets for Satellites or Upper Stages |
| title_short | Challenges of Ablatively Cooled Hybrid Rockets for Satellites or Upper Stages |
| title_sort | challenges of ablatively cooled hybrid rockets for satellites or upper stages |
| topic | hybrid rockets upper stages satellite propulsion ablative cooling |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/8/7/190 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT francescobarato challengesofablativelycooledhybridrocketsforsatellitesorupperstages |