The Sampling of Rocket Combustion Gases

Summary:—

In the past, attempts have been made to evaluate injectors for rocket engine combustion chambers by the use of water analogy rigs and model combustion systems that simulated the injection and combustion phase change occurring in the actual engine. To confirm that conditions in the engine were being correctly simulated, a technique was evolved for determining the mixture ratio distribution achieved by the combustion system of a Spectre variable thrust rocket engine. Gas samples extracted from the rocket-efflux were analysed, and the technique has been applied to evaluate the Spectre's standard central mushroom type injector and also a multi-head injector.

Tests have been conducted over a thrust range of 2000 lb to 8000 lb and at oxidant/fuel ratios from 7·5 to 13·0.

In parallel with this external sampling, a probe has been designed and developed for extracting gas samples from selected points across a diameter of the combustion chamber itself. This probe has been successfully operated for several minutes under combustion conditions of 500 p.s.i.a. and 2600°K, without sustaining any damage.

Analysis of the oxidant/fuel ratio pattern within the combustion chamber and in the efflux, at comparable operating conditions, indicates that little change in distribution occurs between these two points of the system. Also, the distribution found with the standard injector was that for which the combustion system was designed. It is demonstrated that loss of performance depends on the degree of non-uniformity of mixing. A 5 per cent loss in performance at full thrust and optimum mixture ratio occurs with the standard injector.