Planar Nozzles for Controllable Microthrusters

Abstract

Orbital maneuvering of microsatellite and nanosatellite requirements can be efficiently addressed by planar nozzles, in which realtime thrust control is gained actuating on the nozzle throat area. In the present work, the method of characteristics is used to design a hypersonic contour; then, the resulting profile is laser cut, assembled, and built into a propulsion system to finally perform tests in a vacuum chamber under several working conditions. Results are used to validate the profile and modeling assumptions and investigate overall behavior. Tests showed that thrust-inlet pressure ratio is a linear function of separation between nozzle contours and that no additional losses are introduced in the system. The corresponding design/manufacture/assembly tools can be used to a provide low-cost/low-weight controllable propulsion systems to the small-satellite industry with no efficiency loss.

Comparison of the Flow Fields between Nozzles with Full-Open and Open-Close Valves at Transonic Velocity

“…In recent years, the turbine-based combined cycle engine has become a research hotspot in the aerospace field, and the injector nozzle based on the integration of intake and exhaust is one of the important components to realize the operation of the aircraft in a wide-speed range [1,2]. With the research advancement on ejectors, revealing the ejection phenomenon and exploring its internal flow mechanism have become the main route to further improve the ejection efficiency [3,4].…”