Three-dimensional printed metal-nested composite fuel grains with superior mechanical and combustion properties

Lin, Xin; Qu, Dongdong; Chen, Xuedong; Wang, Zezhong; Luo, Jiaxiao; De-sheng, Meng; Liu, Guoliang; Zhang, Kun; Li, Fēi; Yu, Xilong

doi:10.1080/17452759.2022.2035934

Cited by 11 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…The variation in chamber pressure was similar for all fuel grains. The chamber pressure of the composite fuel grains was significantly higher than that of the pure paraffin-based grain, which is consistent with the previous conclusions of our group [31]. The pressure in the combustion chamber increased when composite fuel grains consisted of regulated modular units.…”

Section: Combustion Chamber Pressuresupporting

confidence: 92%

“…In recent years, three-dimensional (3D) printing technology has become sufficiently developed and successfully applied to the manufacturing of hybrid rocket fuel grains [25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32]. This technique allows for direct integral molding of polymeric fuel grains with a complex single port, which is difficult to accomplish using traditional manufacturing methods [25].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Varying regression rates of fuels generate groove structures that facilitate oxidant vortex flow to improve turbulence and combustion efficiency. Lin et al [31,32] subsequently modified the helical structure framework by perforation and used metallic materials to strengthen the mechanical properties and combustion characteristics of the fuel grains. These studies validated the potential of embedded skeletal reinforcement.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Regression Rate and Combustion Efficiency of Composite Hybrid Rocket Grains Based on Modular Fuel Units

Pan,

Lin,

Wang

et al. 2024

Aerospace

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This study investigated combustion characteristics of composite fuel grains designed based on a modular fuel unit strategy. The modular fuel unit comprised a periodical helical structure with nine acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene helical blades. A paraffin-based fuel was embedded between adjacent blades. Two modifications of the helical structure framework were researched. One mirrored the helical blades, and the other periodically extended the helical blades by perforation. A laboratory-scale hybrid rocket engine was used to investigate combustion characteristics of the fuel grains at an oxygen mass flux of 2.1–6.0 g/(s·cm2). Compared with the composite fuel grain with periodically extended helical blades, the modified composite fuel grains exhibited higher regression rates and a faster rise of regression rates as the oxygen mass flux increased. At an oxygen mass flux of 6.0 g/(s·cm2), the regression rate of the composite fuel grains with perforation and mirrored helical blades increased by 8.0% and 14.1%, respectively. The oxygen-to-fuel distribution of the composite fuel grain with mirrored helical blades was more concentrated, and its combustion efficiency was stable. Flame structure characteristics in the combustion chamber were visualized using a radiation imaging technique. A rapid increase in flame thickness of the composite fuel grains based on the modular unit was observed, which was consistent with their high regression rates. A simplified numerical simulation was carried out to elucidate the mechanism of the modified modular units on performance enhancement of the composite hybrid rocket grains.

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Section: Combustion Chamber Pressuresupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Regression Rate and Combustion Efficiency of Composite Hybrid Rocket Grains Based on Modular Fuel Units

Pan,

Lin,

Wang

et al. 2024

Aerospace

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“…The regression rate in an HRE can be improved by distorting the boundary layer to increase shear forces in addition to improving the mixing of oxidizer and fuel while promoting heat transfer to the solid fuel [19]. This distortion is typically achieved by optimizing the oxidizer injection process and the fuel grain structure, based on the use of swirling-oxidizer injection techniques and complex port morphologies [20][21][22][23][24][25]. Bala et al [20] conducted a series of firing tests using HREs having different length/diameter ratios in conjunction with swirling oxidizer injection at multiple locations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Combustion Characteristics of a Swirl-Radial-Injection Composite Fuel Grain with Applications in Hybrid Rockets

Wang,

Lin,

Wang

et al. 2023

Aerospace

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The combustion characteristics of a swirl-radial-injection composite fuel grain were experimentally and numerically investigated. This composite grain permits swirl-radial oxidizer injection based on three hollow helical blades, each having a constant hollow space allowing uniform oxidizer injection into the main chamber along the axial direction. The oxidizer enters from channel inlets located along a hollow outer wall. This wall, together with the three blades, is fabricated as one piece from acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene using three-dimensional printing. Paraffin-based fuel is embedded in the spaces between adjacent blades. Firing tests were conducted with gaseous oxygen as the oxidizer, using oxidizer mass flow rates ranging from 7.45 to 30.68 g/s. Paraffin-based fuel grains using conventional fore-end injection were used for comparison. Regression rate boundaries were determined taking into account the erosion of the oxidizer channels. The data show that the regression rate was significantly increased even at the lower limit. Images of the combustion chamber flame and of the exhaust plume were also acquired. The flame was found to be concentrated in the main chamber and a smoky plume was observed, consistent with the high regression rate. A three-dimensional simulation was employed. The present design was found to improve fuel/oxidizer mixing and combustion efficiency compared with a fuel grain using fore-end injection. Both the experimental results and numerical simulations confirmed the potential of this swirl-radial-injection fuel grain.

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“…The addition of small amounts of additives increases the strength and ductility of paraffin wax but increases the viscosity coefficient, which often results in lower fuel regression rates. Another method comprises the reinforcement of the mechanical properties of paraffin wax using additive manufacturing [27][28][29][30]. The mechanical and combustion properties of paraffin wax fuel are balanced by the reinforcement structure.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental Investigation of a Swirling-Oxidizer-Flow-Type Hybrid Rocket Engine Using Low-Melting-Point Thermoplastic Fuel and Oxygen

2023

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Hybrid rockets are safe and inexpensive; however, boundary-layer combustion poses a problem in achieving a fuel regression rate equivalent to that of solid propellants. The fundamental combustion conditions, such as the fuel regression rate of LT421, a paraffin-based low-melting-point thermoplastic fuel, were investigated using a swirling-flow combustion method. Firing tests were conducted using the oxygen mass flow rate and burn time parameters. The LT fuel exhibited an ignition delay compared to polypropylene, and the pressure increased slowly relative to the thrust. The combustion pressure increased or remained constant with time, suggesting that the fuel regression rate was more dependent on the oxygen mass flow rate than the oxidizer mass flux. The shear force generated in the grain owing to the swirling flow caused fuel-grain separation when the oxygen mass flow rate exceeded 100 g/s. Fuel-grain separation was prevented by modifying the case geometry. The maximum fuel regression rate obtained in the tests was 4.88 mm/s at an oxygen mass flow rate of 190 g/s and mass flux of 72.4 kg/(m2s), which was four times higher than that of polypropylene at the same oxidizer mass flux. The fuel regression rate correlation was obtained using the oxygen mass-flow-rate-based parameter, although further modification was necessary to apply this correlation when the burning time was varied.

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Three-dimensional printed metal-nested composite fuel grains with superior mechanical and combustion properties

Cited by 11 publications

References 49 publications

Regression Rate and Combustion Efficiency of Composite Hybrid Rocket Grains Based on Modular Fuel Units

Regression Rate and Combustion Efficiency of Composite Hybrid Rocket Grains Based on Modular Fuel Units

Combustion Characteristics of a Swirl-Radial-Injection Composite Fuel Grain with Applications in Hybrid Rockets

Experimental Investigation of a Swirling-Oxidizer-Flow-Type Hybrid Rocket Engine Using Low-Melting-Point Thermoplastic Fuel and Oxygen

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