A feasibility study on using inkjet technology, micropumps, and MEMs as fuel injectors for bipropellant rocket engines
A feasibility study on using inkjet technology, micropumps, and MEMs as fuel injectors for bipropellant rocket engines
Control over drop size distributions, injection rates, and geometrical distribution of fuel and oxidizer sprays in bi-propellant rocket engines has the potential to produce more efficient, more stable, less polluting rocket engines. This control also offers the potential of an engine that can be throttled, working efficiently over a wide range of output thrusts. Inkjet printing technologies, MEMS fuel atomizers, and piezoelectric injectors similar in concept to those used in diesel engines are considered for their potential to yield a new, more active injection scheme for a rocket engine. Inkjets are found to be unable to pump at sufficient pressures, and have possibly dangerous failure modes. Active injection is found to be feasible if high pressure drop along the injector plate is used. A conceptual design is presented and its basic behavior assessed.
inkjet technology, micropumps, mems, fuel injectors, bipropellant rocket engines
194-203
Glynne-Jones, Peter
6ca3fcbc-14db-4af9-83e2-cf7c8b91ef0d
Coletti, M.
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White, N.M.
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Gabriel, S.B.
ac76976d-74fd-40a0-808d-c9f68a38f259
Bramanti, C.
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July 2010
Glynne-Jones, Peter
6ca3fcbc-14db-4af9-83e2-cf7c8b91ef0d
Coletti, M.
f99567c2-8fab-42dd-9e25-c3f69495667f
White, N.M.
c7be4c26-e419-4e5c-9420-09fc02e2ac9c
Gabriel, S.B.
ac76976d-74fd-40a0-808d-c9f68a38f259
Bramanti, C.
1d01d475-09ab-4edc-be56-f6a794dd30dd
Glynne-Jones, Peter, Coletti, M., White, N.M., Gabriel, S.B. and Bramanti, C.
(2010)
A feasibility study on using inkjet technology, micropumps, and MEMs as fuel injectors for bipropellant rocket engines.
Acta Astronautica, 67 (1-2), .
(doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2010.01.027).
Abstract
Control over drop size distributions, injection rates, and geometrical distribution of fuel and oxidizer sprays in bi-propellant rocket engines has the potential to produce more efficient, more stable, less polluting rocket engines. This control also offers the potential of an engine that can be throttled, working efficiently over a wide range of output thrusts. Inkjet printing technologies, MEMS fuel atomizers, and piezoelectric injectors similar in concept to those used in diesel engines are considered for their potential to yield a new, more active injection scheme for a rocket engine. Inkjets are found to be unable to pump at sufficient pressures, and have possibly dangerous failure modes. Active injection is found to be feasible if high pressure drop along the injector plate is used. A conceptual design is presented and its basic behavior assessed.
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acta_injector.pdf
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Published date: July 2010
Keywords:
inkjet technology, micropumps, mems, fuel injectors, bipropellant rocket engines
Organisations:
Astronautics Group
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 156371
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/156371
ISSN: 0094-5765
PURE UUID: 208dfd2b-f87b-46ac-b531-591d11eee9a7
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Date deposited: 02 Jun 2010 10:21
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:43
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Contributors
Author:
M. Coletti
Author:
N.M. White
Author:
S.B. Gabriel
Author:
C. Bramanti
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