[AR] rectangular thrusters (was Re: "Direct" Hydrogen Peroxide engines)
- From: Henry Spencer <hspencer@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: Arocket List <arocket@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 26 Sep 2016 12:06:57 -0400 (EDT)
On Mon, 26 Sep 2016, John Dom wrote:
Always wondered if the ribs of a rectangular, hexa- or octagonal thruster
will not become too hot?
"What happens in the corners?" is always a big question about rectangular
(etc.) thrusters. Flow patterns, shock waves, heating levels, cooling
effectiveness, and so on. It has been done successfully -- on the test
stand, anyway -- but it definitely adds complications.
There'a also the simple question of how much structural mass has to be
added for the non-optimal shape -- this is, after all, a pressure vessel,
and there's a reason why those aren't usually square! This in particular
tempts people to move away from pure 2D designs (where the side walls are
flat and only the top and bottom surfaces curve inward to form the throat
and the nozzle) and build a conventional cylindrical chamber and throat,
with the divergent part of the nozzle gradually transitioning to the
desired exit shape.
An advantage is that no lathe is required for such geometries but
fabrication is maybe more complicated.
Not needing a lathe is generally the least of one's concerns in building
such a design. :-)
Henry
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- » [AR] rectangular thrusters (was Re: "Direct" Hydrogen Peroxide engines) - Henry Spencer
