Project Highlights

Propellant Rheology

  • Characterization of toxic propellant viscosity ranging from shear rates representative of storage to injection conditions.
  • Capabilities: Commercial rotational rheometer, custom designed capillary rheometer and high speed centrifuge.

High Velocity Droplet Impact

  • Experiments with droplet contact velocities ranging from 0.1 to 3 m/s.
  • Wide range of diagnostic techniques to characterize combustion.

Impinging Jet Apparatus

  • Highly repeatable electromechanically driven injection events.
  • Characterization of ignition delay and propellant combustion.

Laser Combustion Diagnostics

  • Observation of OH radical in transient combustion events.
  • 3D flame structure can be acquired at up to 1000 Hz.

Droplet Combustion Modeling

  • Multiphase reacting CFD modeling
  • Droplet-scale interactions
  • Rheological effects on ignition

Vapor Containment and Fire Suppression

  • Containment of MMH and NTO vapors
  • Neutralization of propellants by containment foam

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