Multi-disciplinary Conceptual Design Knowledge of Multi-stage Hybrid Rocket Using Data Mining Technique

This paper deals with the application of data mining techniques to the conceptual design knowledge for a LV （launch vehicle） with a HRE （hybrid rocket engine）. This LV is a concept of the space transportation, which can deliver micro-satellite to the SSO （sun-synchronous orbit）. To design the higher performance LV with HRE, the optimum size of each component, such as an oxidizer tank containing liquid oxidizer, a combustion chamber containing solid fuel, a pressurizing tank and a nozzle, should be acquired. The Kriging based ANOVA （analysis of variance） and SOM （self-organizing map） are employed as data mining techniques for knowledge discovery. In this study, the paraffin （FT-0070） is used as a propellant of HRE. Then, the relationship among LV performances and design variables are investigated through the analysis and the visualization. To calculate the engine performance, the regression rate is computed based on an empirical expression. The design knowledge is extracted for the design knowledge of the multi-stage LV with HRE by analysis using ANOVA and SOM. As a result, the useful design knowledge on the present design problem is obtained to design HRE for space transportation.

Experimental and Theoretical Research Review of Hybrid Rocket Motor Techniques and Applications

A hybrid rocket motor combines components from both solid fuel and liquid fuel rocket motors. The fuel itself is a solid grain, (often paraffin or hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene, known as HTPB) while the oxidizing agent is liquid (often hydrogen peroxide or liquid oxygen). These components are combined in the fuel chamber which doubles as the combustion chamber for the hybrid motor. This review looks at the advances in techniques that have taken place in the development of these motors since 1995. Methods of testing the thrust from rocket motors and of measuring the rocket plume spectroscopically for combustion reaction products have been developed. These assessments allow researchers to more completely understand the effects of additives and physical changes in design, in terms of regression rates and thrust developed. Hybrid rocket motors have been used or tested in many areas of rocketry, including tactical rockets and large launch vehicles. Several additives have shown significant improvements in regression rates and thrust, including Guanidinium azotetrazolate (GAT), and various Aluminum alloys. The most recent discoveries have come from research into nano-particle additives. The nano-particles have been shown to provide enhancements to many parameters of hybrid rocket function, and research into specific areas continues in the sub-field of nano-additives for fuel grains.

Numerical and experimental research on axial injection end-burning hybrid rocket motors with polyethylene fuel

This study investigates the end-burning hybrid rocket motors with polyethylene fuel by the numerical simulation and experiment.Based on computational fluid dynamics,a numerical model is developed.The model is validated by two firing tests in this hybrid rocket motor,which uses oxygen and polyethylene as propellants.The results show that the numerical and experimental data are in good agreement,and the error of the chamber pressure is less than 2.63%.Based on the simulation mode,the blowoff limit of the end-burning hybrid rocket motors is investigated.When the nozzle throat diameter and the inner diameter of grain are large,it is more difficult for the hybrid rocket motor to achieve end-burning mode,i.e.,the flame spreading is prevented in the narrow duct.The main reason is that when the nozzle throat and the grain port are large,chamber pressure and oxidizer flow velocity are low.Therefore,the friction velocity considering the pressure and flow velocity is proposed.The critical friction velocity is about 4.054–4.890 m/s in the hybrid rocket motors.When the friction velocity exceeds the critical friction velocity,the combustion mode in hybrid rocket motors changes from the flame spreading mode to the end-burning mode.Moreover,the regression rate formula is obtained by fitting,which shows that the regression rate has a good correlation with combustion chamber pressure.The critical friction velocity and regression rate formula can provide an important reference for end-burning hybrid rocket motors.

A comprehensive fluid-solid coupling dynamic simulation for spatiotemporal distribution of regression rate in hybrid rocket motors

The spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of the regression rate are crucial aspects of the research on Hybrid Rocket Motor(HRM). This study presents a pioneering effort in achieving a comprehensive numerical simulation of fluid dynamics and heat transfer in both the fluid and solid regions throughout the entire operation of an HRM. To accomplish this, a dynamic grid technique that incorporates fluid–solid coupling is utilized. To validate the precision of the numerical simulations, a firing test is conducted, with embedded thermocouple probes being used to measure the inner temperature of the fuel grain. The temperature variations in the solid fuel obtained from both experiment and simulations show good agreement. The maximum combustion temperature and average thrust obtained from the simulations are found to deviate from the experimental results by only 3.3% and 2.4%, respectively. Thus, it can be demonstrated that transient numerical simulations accurately capture the fluid–solid coupling characteristics and transient regression rate. The dynamic simulation results of inner flow field and solid region throughout the entire working stage reveal that the presence of vortices enhances the blending of combustion gases and improves the regression rate at both the front and rear ends of the fuel grain. In addition, oscillations of the regression rate obtained in the simulation can also be well corresponded with the corrugated surface observed in the experiment. Furthermore, the zero-dimension regression rate formula and the formula describing the axial location dependence of the regression rate are fitted from the simulation results, with the corresponding coefficients of determination(R^(2)) of 0.9765 and 0.9298, respectively.This research serves as a reference for predicting the performance of HRM with gas oxygen and polyethylene, and presents a credible way for investigating the spatiotemporal distribution of the regression rate.

Numerical analysis on combustion characteristics of hybrid rocket motor with star-tube segmented grain

A method of star-tube combined segmented grain is proposed to improve the combustion performance of hybrid rocket motor.The star-tube combined segmented grain consists of a single-port star part and a single-port tube part.A mid-chamber forms between the fore-grain and the aft-grain for better mixing effect.The single-port feature gives hybrid rocket motor several advantages,such as simple structure,high reliability,and variable combinations.This paper is mainly aimed at studying the combustion characteristics of hybrid rocket motor with star-tube segmented grain through three-dimensional steady simulations.Combustion performance of the motors with different segmented grain combinations,including fore-tube/aft-tube,fore-tube/aftstar,fore-star/aft-star and fore-star/aft-tube,is contrastively analyzed.The motor in this paper adopts polyethylene and 90%hydrogen peroxide as the propellants.Simulations reveal that segmented grain with different-type grain combinations could greatly change the flow field in the second half of the combustion chamber.Transformation of the flow field is beneficial to the mixing between the fuel and the oxidizer,and it could increase the fuel regression rate and the combustion efficiency.The turbulence effect of tube aft-grain is better than that of star aft-grain.Among the four segmented grain combinations,the combination of star fore-grain and tube aft-grain is the preferred method with optimal overall performance.This grain configuration could increase the regression rate of tube aft-grain to surpass that of star aft-grain in other combinations.Besides,hybrid rocket motor with this grain configuration achieves the highest combustion efficiency.

Combustion performance of hybrid rocket fuels loaded with MgB_(2)and carbon black additives

Paraffin-based fuel has a great potential for several innovative missions,including space tourism,due to its safety,low environmental impact,high performance and low cost.Despite the fact that liquefying solid fuels increases the regression rate of hybrid rocket motors,incorporating energetic materials into solid fuel can still improve the performance.The objective and scope of this study is to increase the performance characteristics of the paraffin-based fuel by using magnesium diboride(MgB_(2))and carbon black(CB)additives.The cylindricalport fuel grains were manufactured with various additives percentages in mass(wt%:CB-2%and MgB_(2)-10%)and tested using a laboratory-scale ballistic hybrid motor under gaseous oxygen.The mechanical performance results revealed that adding CB and MgB_(2) improved the ultimate strength and elastic modulus of paraffin-based fuels.The addition of these fillers increased the hardness of fuel by developing a strong interaction in the paraffin matrix.Thermogravimetry(TG)results showed that CB inclusion improved the thermal stability of the paraffin matrix.The average regression rates of fuels loaded with CB and MgB_(2) were 32%and 52%higher than those of unmodified paraffin wax,respectively.The characteristic velocity efficiency was found in the range of 68%e79%at an O/F ratio of 1.5e2.6.The MgB_(2) oxidation/combustion in the paraffin matrix was described by a four-step oxidation process ranging from 473 K to 1723 K.Finally,a combustion model of MgB_(2) in the paraffin matrix was proposed,and four-step oxidation processes were discussed in detail.

Design and optimization of variable thrust hybrid rocket motors for sounding rockets

Besides safety and low-cost,the start/shutdown/restarting and throttling ability are the other two significant advantages of hy-brid rocket motors(HRMs) compared with liquid and solid ones.In this study,a two-stage variable thrust and non-toxic 98%HP/HTPB hybrid rocket motor(VTHRM) is designed and applied in a sounding rocket,and the design parameters of the motor are analyzed and optimized.A computational program is developed to design the motor system structure,to predict the interior ballistics and the ballistic trajectory.A star grain and a wheel grain are compared.The design of experiment(DOE),variance analysis and the main effect analysis are employed to investigate the influence of the main design parameters on mo-tor performance.The multidiscipline feasible(MDF) approach is applied to establish the optimization procedure after analyz-ing the system design structure matrix.A modified differential evolution algorithm is employed to maximize the load mass.The results indicate that the wheel grain could obtain a larger load mass and a lower length to diameter ratio,and that throttling markedly meliorates the motor and rocket performance.The conclusions drawn from the analysis and optimization could pro-vide instructive guide and theoretical basis for engineering designs.

Numerical and experimental investigation on the effects of aft mixing chamber diaphragm in hybrid rocket motor

This paper focuses on the investigation of an aft mixing chamber diaphragm in a hybrid rocket motor. Both numerical and ex- perimental researches are carried out to study its effects on the motor performances. The hybrid rocket motor with star fuel grain is utilized. The 90% hydrogen peroxide （HP） oxidizer and hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene （HTPB） based fuel are adopted as propellants. The diaphragm configuration settled in the aft mixing chamber includes four circular-holes with a uni- form circumferential distribution. For both motors with and without the diaphragm, three-dimensional numerical simulations with gaseous combustions considered are carried out to study the flow field characteristics and motor performances. The com- parison results show that the diaphragm can improve the mixing of the oxidizer and fuel. It has evident effect on increasing the motor efflciencies. Two firing experiments are conducted with full scale motors to investigate the effects of the diaphragm. The diaphragm used in the test is composed of a central steel framework and a closed thermal insulation layer. With the dia- phragm employed, the combustion efficiency increases from 93.9% to 97.34% and the specific impulse efficiency increases from 80.77% to 87.28%, which verifies the positive effect of the diaphragm. Both numerical and experimental studies indicate that the scheme of the aft mixing chamber diaphragm proposed in the paper can improve the efficiencies of the hybrid rocket motor obviously.

Three-dimensional numerical analysis on combustion performance and flow of hybrid rocket motor with multi-segmented grain

This paper presents the combustion characteristics in hybrid rocket motors with multisegmented grain through three-dimensional numerical simulations.Multi-segmented grain is composed of several thin grains with two or more ports.The numerical model consists of Navier-Stokes equations with turbulence,solid fuel pyrolysis,chemical reactions,a fluid–solid coupling model and a regression rate model.The simulations adopt 90%Hydrogen Peroxide(HP)and PolyEthylene(PE)as the propellant combination.The effects of the rotation,port number,fuel grain segment number and mid-chamber length on the flow field and combustion performances are analyzed.The results indicate that the multi-segmented grain configuration can strengthen the flow field,and the regression rate and combustion efficiency are enhanced.Take the cases with two grain segments and three ports for example,the regression rate is increased by 32.4%-45.1%and the combustion efficiency increases by 6%-8.6%in different rotation angles.

Uncertainty analysis and design optimization of hybrid rocket motor powered vehicle for suborbital flight

Abstract In this paper, we propose an uncertainty analysis and design optimization method and its applications on a hybrid rocket motor （HRM） powered vehicle. The multidisciplinary design model of the rocket system is established and the design uncertainties are quantified. The sensitivity anal- ysis of the uncertainties shows that the uncertainty generated from the error of fuel regression rate model has the most significant effect on the system performances. Then the differences between deterministic design optimization （DDO） and uncertainty-based design optimization （UDO） are discussed. Two newly formed uncertainty analysis methods, including the Kriging-based Monte Carlo simulation （KMCS） and Kriging-based Taylor series approximation （KTSA）, are carried out using a global approximation Kriging modeling method. Based on the system design model and the results of design uncertainty analysis, the design optimization of an HRM powered vehicle for suborbital flight is implemented using three design optimization methods： DDO, KMCS and KTSA. The comparisons indicate that the two UDO methods can enhance the design reliability and robustness. The researches and methods proposed in this paper can provide a better way for the general design of HRM powered vehicles.

Multi-disciplinary design optimization with fuzzy uncertainties and its application in hybrid rocket motor powered launch vehicle

In this paper,an Uncertainty-based Multi-disciplinary Design Optimization (UMDO)method combining with fuzzy theory and Multi-Discipline Feasible (MDF) method is developed for the conceptual design of a Hybrid Rocket Motor (HRM) powered Launch Vehicle (LV).In the method proposed,membership functions are used to represent the uncertain factors,the fuzzy statistical experiment is introduced to analyze the propagation of uncertainties,and means,standard deviations and credibility measures are used to delineate uncertain responses.A geometric programming problem is solved to verify the feasibility of the Fuzzy-based Multi-Discipline Feasible(F-MDF) method.A multi-disciplinary analysis of a three-stage HRM powered LV involving the disciplines of propulsion,structure,aerodynamics and trajectory is implemented,and the mathematical models corresponding to the F-MDF method and the MDF method are established.A two-phase optimization method is proposed for multi-disciplinary design optimization of the LV,including the orbital capacity optimization phase based on the Ziolkowski formula,and the scheme trajectory verification phase based on the 3-degree-of-freedom point trajectory simulation.The correlation coefficients and the quadratic Response Surface Method (RSM) based on Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) are adopted for sensitive analysis of uncertain factors,and the Multi-Island Genetic Algorithm (MIGA) is adopted as the optimization algorithm.The results show that the F-MDF method is applicable in LV conceptual design,and the design with the F-MDF method is more reliable and robust than that with the MDF method.

Uncertainty analysis and probabilistic design optimization of hybrid rocket motors for manned lunar landing

To obtain a conceptual design for a hybrid rocket motor(HRM)to be used as the Ascent Propulsion System in the Apollo lunar module,the deterministic design optimization(DDO)method is applied to the HRM design.Based on the results of an uncertainty analysis of HRMs,an uncertainty-based design optimization(UDO)method is also adopted to improve the design reliability.The HRM design process,which is a multidisciplinary system,is analyzed,and a mathematical model for the system design is established to compute the motor performance from the input parameters,including the input variables and model parameters.The input parameter uncertainties are quantified,and a sensitivity analysis of the model parameter uncertainties is conducted to identify the most important model parameter uncertainties for HRMs.The DDO and probabilistic UDO methods are applied to conceptual designs for an HRM to be used as a substitute for the liquid rocket motor(LRM)of the Ascent Propulsion System.The conceptual design results show that HRMs have several advantages as an alternative to the LRM of the Ascent Propulsion System,including nontoxic propellant combination,small motor volume,and comparable functions,such as restarting and throating.Comparisons of the DDO and UDO results indicate that the UDO method achieves more robust and reliable optimal designs than the DDO method.The probabilistic UDO method can be used to develop better conceptual designs for HRMs.

Hybrid uncertainty-based design optimization and its application to hybrid rocket motors for manned lunar landing

Design reliability and robustness are getting increasingly important for the general design of aerospace systems with many inherently uncertain design parameters.This paper presents a hybrid uncertainty-based design optimization（UDO） method developed from probability theory and interval theory.Most of the uncertain design parameters which have sufficient information or experimental data are classified as random variables using probability theory,while the others are defined as interval variables with interval theory.Then a hybrid uncertainty analysis method based on Monte Carlo simulation and Taylor series interval analysis is developed to obtain the uncertainty propagation from the design parameters to system responses.Three design optimization strategies,including deterministic design optimization（DDO）,probabilistic UDO and hybrid UDO,are applied to the conceptual design of a hybrid rocket motor（HRM） used as the ascent propulsion system in Apollo lunar module.By comparison,the hybrid UDO is a feasible method and can be effectively applied to the general design of aerospace systems.

Steady-state coupled analysis of flowfields and thermochemical erosion of C/C nozzles in hybrid rocket motors

A hybrid rocket can be used in various applications and is an attractive propulsion system. However, serious erosion of nozzles is common in motor firing operations, which could restrict the application of hybrid rocket motors. Usually, the serious erosion is attributed to the high concentration of oxidizing species in hybrid motors, while the details of flowfields in the motors are not paid special attention to. In this paper, first the thermochemical erosion of C/C nozzle is simulated coupled with the flowfields in a 98% H2O2/hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene（HTPB） hybrid rocket motor. The simulation is made on a typical axisymmetric motor, including a pre-combustion chamber, an aft-combustion chamber and nozzle structures. Thermochemica reactions of H2 O, CO2, OH, O and O2 with C are taken into account. Second, the change of flowfields due to fuel regression during motor firing operations is considered. Nozzle erosion in different flowfields is evaluated. Third, the results of nozzle erosion in the coupled simulation are compared with those under uniform and chemical equilibrium flow and motor firing test results. The results of simulation and firing tests indicate that the thermochemical erosion of nozzles in hybrid motors should be calculated coupled with flowfields in the motor. In uniform and chemical equilibrium flowfields, the erosion rate is overestimated. The diffusion flame in hybrid motors protects the nozzle surface from the injected oxidizer and high temperature products in flowfields, leading to a relatively fuel-rich environment above the nozzle. The influence of OH and the geometry of motor should also be considered in the evaluation of nozzle erosion in hybrid motors.

Transient simulation of regression rate on thrust regulation process in hybrid rocket motor

The main goal of this paper is to study the characteristics of regression rate of solid grain during thrust regulation process. For this purpose, an unsteady numerical model of regression rate is established. Gas–solid coupling is considered between the solid grain surface and combustion gas.Dynamic mesh is used to simulate the regression process of the solid fuel surface. Based on this model, numerical simulations on a H2O2/HTPB（hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene） hybrid motor have been performed in the flow control process. The simulation results show that under the step change of the oxidizer mass flow rate condition, the regression rate cannot reach a stable value instantly because the flow field requires a short time period to adjust. The regression rate increases with the linear gain of oxidizer mass flow rate, and has a higher slope than the relative inlet function of oxidizer flow rate. A shorter regulation time can cause a higher regression rate during regulation process. The results also show that transient calculation can better simulate the instantaneous regression rate in the operation process.

Geometric effects of fuel regression rate in hybrid rocket motors

The geometric configuration of the solid fuel is a key parameter affecting the fuel regression rate in hybrid rocket motors. In this paper, a semi-empirical regression rate model is developed to investigate the geometric effect on the fuel regression rate by incorporating the hydraulic diameter into the classical model. The semi-empirical model indicates that the fuel regression rate decreases with increasing hydraulic diameter and is proportional to dh?0.2 when convective heat transfer is dominant. Then a numerical model considering turbulence, combustion, solid fuel pyrolysis, and a solid–gas coupling model is established to further investigate the geometric effect. Eight motors with different solid fuel grains are simulated, and four methods of scaling the regression rate between different solid fuel grains are compared. The results indicate that the solid fuel regression rates are approximate the same when the hydraulic diameters are equal. The numerical results verify the accuracy of the semi-empirical model.

Numerical modelling of the hybrid rocket engine performance

The purpose of this paper is to present method of the numerical modeling of the hybrid rocket engine's work as a tool for designing engines of this type.The model is intended as an accurate and simple to use development tool for use in preliminary design stages of hybrid rocket engines,improving the effectiveness and quality of this process.General assumptions underlying the use of a model are presented,together with an analysis of past work in this field.Results of an extensive experimental campaign are presented and compared with the results of numerical modelling in order to calibrate the proposed model and evaluate its accuracy.Parameter variation and optimization were conducted,proving functionality of the methodology.Presented numerical calculations show that the adopted approach to reduce the analysis time and complexity was correct.This method of numerical calculation of hybrid engine working parameters combines aspects of accuracy and simplicity at the early design stage to avoid timeconsuming and costly changes in subsequent detailed stages of design.

Characterization and manufacturing of a paraffin wax as fuel for hybrid rockets

The hybrid propulsion performed with paraffin waxes exhibits most attractive capabilities compared to solid or liquid engines,e.g.,throttleability and re-ignition,alongside higher regression rates compared to the conventional hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene(HTPB)hybrid fuel.This is because the paraffin wax forms a thin and hydro-dynamically unstable liquid layer,and then enhances the regression rate with the entrainment of droplets from the liquid-gas interface.Nevertheless,some critical open points on the manufacturing of the paraffin fuel grains still persist,because the paraffin wax exhibits high shrinkage during the solidification phase,leading to the formation of cavities,cracks and internal rips,which may be detrimental to the mechanical properties and the structural integrity of the fuel grain.In this context,this paper deals with a wide calorimetric,thermo-mechanical and physical characterization of the paraffin wax selected to manufacture the hybrid rocket engines(HRE)fuel grain,in order to gain a thorough knowledge of the material necessary to avoid the formation of critical defects.Several manufacturing methods were investigated,and it was found that only laboratory scale processes,based on the use of a heated circular mould-piston apparatus,are able to avoid the formation of critical defects,with the application of both high temperature and pressure.

Numerical analysis of fuel regression rate distribution characteristics in hybrid rocket motors with different fuel types

This paper presents three-dimensional numerical simulations of the hybrid rocket motor with hydrogen peroxide (HP) and hy-droxyl terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) propellant combination and investigates the fuel regression rate distribution charac-teristics of different fuel types. The numerical models are established to couple the Navier-Stokes equations with turbulence,chemical reactions, solid fuel pyrolysis and solid-gas interfacial boundary conditions. Simulation results including the temper-ature contours and fuel regression rate distributions are presented for the tube, star and wagon wheel grains. The results demonstrate that the changing trends of the regression rate along the axis are similar for all kinds of fuel types, which decrease sharply near the leading edges of the fuels and then gradually increase with increasing axial locations. The regression rates of the star and wagon wheel grains show apparent three-dimensional characteristics, and they are higher in the regions of fuel surfaces near the central core oxidizer flow. The average regression rates increase as the oxidizer mass fluxes rise for all of the fuel types. However, under same oxidizer mass flux, the average regression rates of the star and wagon wheel grains are much larger than that of the tube grain due to their lower hydraulic diameters.

兼容火箭推进剂的燃料电池混合能源系统

针对使用液氢/液氧的重型火箭发动机上存在氢氧蒸发气体无法有效利用的问题,提出了一种与火箭推进剂兼容的氢氧燃料电池混合能源系统设计方案。混合能源系统以满足负载使用需求为主要目标,综合考虑氢氧燃料电池效率和锂电池使用寿命,制定了混合能源系统的控制策略以及混合能源系统评价函数。基于MATLAB的仿真分析结果表明,在火箭上使用混合能源系统比单一的锂电池减重约940 kg,系统比能量提高约214.5%,且可以与箭上生命保障、环境热控系统相结合,具有广阔的实际应用前景。