Experimental Research on Reconstruction Techniques for Instantaneous Regression Rate of Hybrid Rocket Motor with Single-Port Wagon Wheel Fuel Grain

This study investigated reconstruction techniques for building the instantaneous fuel regression rate of the hybrid rocket motor (HRM). Specifically, an experiment in a laboratory 500 N-class hybrid rocket motor with single-port wagon wheel fuel grain, operated with hydrogen peroxide (HP) and hydrox...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Tianfang Wei, Guobiao Cai, Hui Tian, Yuanjun Zhang, Chengen Li, Xiangyu Meng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-05-01
Series:Aerospace
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/10/5/440
_version_ 1827742471020347392
author Tianfang Wei
Guobiao Cai
Hui Tian
Yuanjun Zhang
Chengen Li
Xiangyu Meng
author_facet Tianfang Wei
Guobiao Cai
Hui Tian
Yuanjun Zhang
Chengen Li
Xiangyu Meng
author_sort Tianfang Wei
collection DOAJ
description This study investigated reconstruction techniques for building the instantaneous fuel regression rate of the hybrid rocket motor (HRM). Specifically, an experiment in a laboratory 500 N-class hybrid rocket motor with single-port wagon wheel fuel grain, operated with hydrogen peroxide (HP) and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) based fuel (including Al), was carried out. A piece of post-processing software was developed to reconstruct the instantaneous regression rate and other performance parameters of the HRM during the firing test. The results produced by the reconstruction techniques are in good agreement with experimental data obtained by traditional methods, with a maximum error of less than 5.75%. Moreover, compared with the traditional endpoint method, the reconstruction method had a significant advantage, which could ascertain the sensitivity of the regression rate to changes in the oxidizer mass flux and fit the formula of regression rate in a single firing test. Additionally, digital image processing techniques were employed to determine the axial distribution of the fuel regression rate after the test using computed tomography (CT) scanning. This served to verify the accuracy of the instantaneous reconstruction calculation. The error in the average regression rate between CT scanning and the reconstruction calculation was 1.91%, proving that the CT scanning and pixel statistic method of the calculating regression rate was practical for characterizing the axial distribution of the average regression rate during the firing test. In summary, the main objective of this study was to reconstruct the transient parameters of hybrid rocket motor with single-port wagon wheel fuel grain using reconstruction techniques, and to fit the formula of the regression rate through a single-firing test. Furthermore, this paper proposes a modified reconstruction method that is essential for investigating fuel regression rate during the firing test of HRMs.
first_indexed 2024-03-11T04:02:27Z
format Article
id doaj.art-2efbf2f16df042ec803bd9e678a16c02
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2226-4310
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-11T04:02:27Z
publishDate 2023-05-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Aerospace
spelling doaj.art-2efbf2f16df042ec803bd9e678a16c022023-11-18T00:00:16ZengMDPI AGAerospace2226-43102023-05-0110544010.3390/aerospace10050440Experimental Research on Reconstruction Techniques for Instantaneous Regression Rate of Hybrid Rocket Motor with Single-Port Wagon Wheel Fuel GrainTianfang Wei0Guobiao Cai1Hui Tian2Yuanjun Zhang3Chengen Li4Xiangyu Meng5School of Astronautics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, ChinaSchool of Astronautics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, ChinaSchool of Astronautics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, ChinaKey Laboratory of Spacecraft Design Optimization & Dynamic Simulation Technologies, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100816, ChinaScience and Technology on Space Physics Laboratory, China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, Beijing 100076, ChinaSchool of Astronautics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, ChinaThis study investigated reconstruction techniques for building the instantaneous fuel regression rate of the hybrid rocket motor (HRM). Specifically, an experiment in a laboratory 500 N-class hybrid rocket motor with single-port wagon wheel fuel grain, operated with hydrogen peroxide (HP) and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) based fuel (including Al), was carried out. A piece of post-processing software was developed to reconstruct the instantaneous regression rate and other performance parameters of the HRM during the firing test. The results produced by the reconstruction techniques are in good agreement with experimental data obtained by traditional methods, with a maximum error of less than 5.75%. Moreover, compared with the traditional endpoint method, the reconstruction method had a significant advantage, which could ascertain the sensitivity of the regression rate to changes in the oxidizer mass flux and fit the formula of regression rate in a single firing test. Additionally, digital image processing techniques were employed to determine the axial distribution of the fuel regression rate after the test using computed tomography (CT) scanning. This served to verify the accuracy of the instantaneous reconstruction calculation. The error in the average regression rate between CT scanning and the reconstruction calculation was 1.91%, proving that the CT scanning and pixel statistic method of the calculating regression rate was practical for characterizing the axial distribution of the average regression rate during the firing test. In summary, the main objective of this study was to reconstruct the transient parameters of hybrid rocket motor with single-port wagon wheel fuel grain using reconstruction techniques, and to fit the formula of the regression rate through a single-firing test. Furthermore, this paper proposes a modified reconstruction method that is essential for investigating fuel regression rate during the firing test of HRMs.https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/10/5/440hybrid rocket motorfiring testreconstruction techniquesinstantaneous regression ratesingle-port wagon wheelCT scanning
spellingShingle Tianfang Wei
Guobiao Cai
Hui Tian
Yuanjun Zhang
Chengen Li
Xiangyu Meng
Experimental Research on Reconstruction Techniques for Instantaneous Regression Rate of Hybrid Rocket Motor with Single-Port Wagon Wheel Fuel Grain
Aerospace
hybrid rocket motor
firing test
reconstruction techniques
instantaneous regression rate
single-port wagon wheel
CT scanning
title Experimental Research on Reconstruction Techniques for Instantaneous Regression Rate of Hybrid Rocket Motor with Single-Port Wagon Wheel Fuel Grain
title_full Experimental Research on Reconstruction Techniques for Instantaneous Regression Rate of Hybrid Rocket Motor with Single-Port Wagon Wheel Fuel Grain
title_fullStr Experimental Research on Reconstruction Techniques for Instantaneous Regression Rate of Hybrid Rocket Motor with Single-Port Wagon Wheel Fuel Grain
title_full_unstemmed Experimental Research on Reconstruction Techniques for Instantaneous Regression Rate of Hybrid Rocket Motor with Single-Port Wagon Wheel Fuel Grain
title_short Experimental Research on Reconstruction Techniques for Instantaneous Regression Rate of Hybrid Rocket Motor with Single-Port Wagon Wheel Fuel Grain
title_sort experimental research on reconstruction techniques for instantaneous regression rate of hybrid rocket motor with single port wagon wheel fuel grain
topic hybrid rocket motor
firing test
reconstruction techniques
instantaneous regression rate
single-port wagon wheel
CT scanning
url https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/10/5/440
work_keys_str_mv AT tianfangwei experimentalresearchonreconstructiontechniquesforinstantaneousregressionrateofhybridrocketmotorwithsingleportwagonwheelfuelgrain
AT guobiaocai experimentalresearchonreconstructiontechniquesforinstantaneousregressionrateofhybridrocketmotorwithsingleportwagonwheelfuelgrain
AT huitian experimentalresearchonreconstructiontechniquesforinstantaneousregressionrateofhybridrocketmotorwithsingleportwagonwheelfuelgrain
AT yuanjunzhang experimentalresearchonreconstructiontechniquesforinstantaneousregressionrateofhybridrocketmotorwithsingleportwagonwheelfuelgrain
AT chengenli experimentalresearchonreconstructiontechniquesforinstantaneousregressionrateofhybridrocketmotorwithsingleportwagonwheelfuelgrain
AT xiangyumeng experimentalresearchonreconstructiontechniquesforinstantaneousregressionrateofhybridrocketmotorwithsingleportwagonwheelfuelgrain