Current Science

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Development of Slow-Burning Solid Rocket Booster for RLV-TD Hypersonic Experiment


Affiliations
1 Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Thiruvananthapuram 695 022, India
 

This article discusses the developmental challenges of the low-thrust, long-duration solid rocket motor for the launch of the experimental Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technological Demonstrator (RLV-TD). The main challenges were: (1) developing a motor case and subsystems with low inert mass; (2) design of an optimum nozzle such that the motor can have maximum specific impulse at atmospheric conditions, but with no flow separation at low operation pressures; (3) developing a slow-burning propellant (3 mm/s) to meet the mission requirements; (4) design of propellant grain for the motor so that it has long burning time, the vehicle experiences low dynamic pressure at the transonic regime, and the motor is without combustion instability; (5) developing necessary thermal protection system to take care of long-duration operations, and (6) developing the igniter to ensure the ignition of the motor, especially when easy ignition is difficult with slow-burning propellants and that there should be sufficient overlap of igniter functioning with motor initiation. Performance of the motor in flight indicated that the design met all the required criteria within the expected tolerance.

Keywords

Burning Rate, Igniter, Motor Case, Performance Prediction, Solid Rocket Booster.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Sutton, G. P., Rocket Propulsion Elements, Wiley, New York, USA, 1992, 6th edn.

  • Keswani, S. T., Andiroglu, E., Campbell, J. D. and Kuo, K. K., Recession behaviuor of graphitic nozzles in simulated rocket motors. J. Spacecraft Rockets, 1985, 22(4), 396–397.

  • Kalt, S. and Badal, D. L. Conical rocket nozzle performance under flow separated conditions. J. Spacecraft, 1965, 2(3), 447–449.

  • Price, E. W., L* instability, non-steady burning and combustion instability of solid propellant. J. Am. Inst. Aeronaut. Astronaut., 1992, 325–361.

  • Saber, A. J., Johnston, M. D., Caveny, L. H., Summerfield, M. and Koury, J. L., Acoustic emissions from burning propellant strands. In Proceedings of the 11th JANNAF Combustion Conference, CPIA Publication No. 261, Laurel, MD, USA, December 1974, vol. 1, pp. 409–427.

  • Jeenu, R., Kiran, P. and Deepak, D., Industrial adaptation of ultrasonic technique of propellant burning rate measurement using specimens. J. Propul. Power, 2013, 29(1), 216–226.

  • Miller, W. H. and Barrington, D. K., A review of contemporary solid rocket motor performance prediction techniques. J. Space-craft Rockets, 1970, 7(3), 225–237; doi:10.2514/3.29911.

  • Jeenu, R., Jayaprakash, J., Prasanth, C., Srinivasan, V. and Narayanamoorthy, N., Performance prediction for the first static test of a large solid booster motor, IAC-10-C4.2.2, 2010.

  • Heister, S. D., Ballistics of solid rocket motors with spatial burning rate variations. J. Propul. Power, 1993, 9(4), 649–651.

  • Mukunda H. S. and Paul, P. J., Universal behaviour in erosive burning of solid propellants. Combust. Flame, 1997, 109, 224–236.

  • Gordon, S. and McBride, B. J., Computer program for calculation of complex chemical equilibrium compositions and applications. NASA Reference Publication 1311, Ohio 44135, October 1994.

  • John F. Harvey, Theory and Design of Pressure Vessels, ISBN:0-442-23248-9, New York.

  • Schneider, R. W., Flat face flanges with metal to metal contact beyond the bolt circle. J. Eng. Power, Trans. ASME, 1968, vol. 1, 82–88.

  • ANSYS Basic Analysis guide Section 2.9 ‘Defining the pretension in a joint fastener’ and Section 14.179 ‘PRETS179-Pretension’, Canonsburg, November 2004.

  • Paul Murugan, J. and Kurian, T., Design approach adopted for ensuring the structural integrity of a hydraulic line assembly along the SRM for a RLV-TD mission. In 66th IAC, Jerusalem, Israel, 2015.

  • Quan, V., Quasi-steady solution for ablation–erosion heat transfer. J. Spacecraft Rockets, 1970, 7(3), 355–357.

  • Ketner, D. M. and Hess, K. S., Particle impingement erosion. In AIAA 15th Joint Propulsion Conference, Utah, 18–20 June 1979.

  • Space Vehicle Design Criteria (Chemical Propulsion)-Solid Rocket Motor Igniters, NASA SP-8051.

  • Moore, J. D., Flame spreading phenomena in a head end fin-slot segment of a subscale motor simulating the space shuttle boosters. Ph D thesis, Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, May 2008.

  • Jeenu, R., Prasanth, C., Jayaprakash, J., Abraham, P. J., Srinivasan, V. and Ramakrishnan, S., Strategies of the grain configuration design for large solid booster motors. In IAC-12, C4, 2, 4, x13449. 63rd International Astronautical Congress, Naples, Italy, 1–5 October 2012.


Abstract Views: 454

PDF Views: 141




  • Development of Slow-Burning Solid Rocket Booster for RLV-TD Hypersonic Experiment

Abstract Views: 454  |  PDF Views: 141

Authors

Achutananda Parhi
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Thiruvananthapuram 695 022, India
V. Mahesh
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Thiruvananthapuram 695 022, India
Khadarvoli Kalluru
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Thiruvananthapuram 695 022, India
S. Reshmi
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Thiruvananthapuram 695 022, India
R. Harikrishnan
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Thiruvananthapuram 695 022, India
V. M. Lakshmi
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Thiruvananthapuram 695 022, India
J. Paul Murugan
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Thiruvananthapuram 695 022, India
Renjith Kumar Reddy
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Indian Space Research Organisation, Thiruvananthapuram 695 022, India

Abstract


This article discusses the developmental challenges of the low-thrust, long-duration solid rocket motor for the launch of the experimental Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technological Demonstrator (RLV-TD). The main challenges were: (1) developing a motor case and subsystems with low inert mass; (2) design of an optimum nozzle such that the motor can have maximum specific impulse at atmospheric conditions, but with no flow separation at low operation pressures; (3) developing a slow-burning propellant (3 mm/s) to meet the mission requirements; (4) design of propellant grain for the motor so that it has long burning time, the vehicle experiences low dynamic pressure at the transonic regime, and the motor is without combustion instability; (5) developing necessary thermal protection system to take care of long-duration operations, and (6) developing the igniter to ensure the ignition of the motor, especially when easy ignition is difficult with slow-burning propellants and that there should be sufficient overlap of igniter functioning with motor initiation. Performance of the motor in flight indicated that the design met all the required criteria within the expected tolerance.

Keywords


Burning Rate, Igniter, Motor Case, Performance Prediction, Solid Rocket Booster.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv114%2Fi01%2F74-83