The Simulation, Development, and Testing of a Staged Catalytic Microtube Ignition System

<p>Development of innovative space technology enables new exploration efforts. These technology alternatives are created to provide increased efficiency and safety. This study demonstrates that catalytic microtubes can be used to cause ignition of a bipropellant mixture in a rocket application and develops a unique ignition system as a low energy alternative or redundant ignition system as compared to current spark systems. Part I covers the experimental testing of a methane and oxygen catalytic microtube based ignition system as well as an analysis of the catalyst with matched computational simulations. Part II studies the microtube concept further with transient computational simulations of the catalyst with hydrogen and oxygen.</p><p>Testing of platinum microtube catalytic igniter concepts was carried out to develop a methane and oxygen rocket ignition system for altitude conditions. A microtube design was created that operated at a low voltage and with 25 W of power, a threefold reduction in power as compared to state of the art spark systems. Staged ignition of flows by the catalyst was demonstrated beginning with a catalytic flow on the order of 0.01 g/s, resulting in a burning torch flow on the order of 1.0 g/s characteristic of 100 lbf thruster ignition systems. Mass flow, O/F (oxidizer to fuel) mass-based mixture ratio, power, and preheat temperature variation of the catalyst was explored to find an operating regime. Activation and deactivation of the catalyst was studied along with the behavior under high pressure chamber conditions of torch ignition. </p><p>Simulation of the experimental catalyst using PLUG, a catalytic microtube code, provided further analysis. Previous work supplied developmental information but current trials sought to match the experimental configuration and conditions. This analysis examined the behavior that couldn’t be captured in experimental work such as temperature and composition of gasses through the catalytic tube. Variation of conditions including the applied power, velocity, pressure, temperature, and mixture ratio was carried out. </p><p>For implementation of this with hydrogen and oxygen, simulations were conducted using a catalytic microcombustor transient code previously developed by Peter Struk that improves upon models like PLUG and accounts for the solid catalyst thermal mass and heat losses. With geometry and parameters simulating the experiment, a range of operation was established. The requisite power with and without preheating was established and a nominal operating point with 25 W of required power was established. Variation of power, mixture, temperatures, velocity, and geometry was conducted.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

EMC - Aerospace Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies

Year dc:date

2013

Author dc:creator

• Deans, Matthew Charles

Contributors dc:contributor

• T'ien, James

• Aerospace Engineering
• Catalytic Ignition
• Methane
• Oxygen
• Hydrogen
• Platinum
• Microtube
• Rocket Ignition
• Chemical Propulsion

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1343318716

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:case1343318716