Influence of Polyisobutylene Kerosene Additive on Combustion Efficiency in a Liquid Propellant Rocket Engine

Igor Borovik,Youngbin Yoon,Alexander Kozlov,Vladimir Chvanov,Evgeniy Strokach,Petr Levochkin,Valeriy Gaponov

doi:10.3390/aerospace6120129

Igor Borovik, Youngbin Yoon + Show 5 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace6120129

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Abstract

The combustion of kerosene with the polymer additive polyisobutylene (PIB) was experimentally investigated. The aim of the study was to measure the effect of PIB kerosene on the efficiency of combustion chamber cooling and the combustion efficiency of the liquid propellant for a rocket engine operating on kerosene and gaseous oxygen (GOX). The study was conducted on an experimental rocket engine using kerosene wall film cooling in the combustion chamber. Fire tests showed that the addition of polyisobutylene to kerosene had no significant effect on the combustion efficiency. However, analysis of the wall temperature measurement results showed that the use of PIB kerosene is more effective for film cooling than pure kerosene, which can increase the efficiency of combustion chamber cooling and subsequently increase its reliability and reusability. Thus, the findings of this study are expected to be of use in further investigations of wall film cooling efficiency.

Highlights

Inclusion of polymers into hydrocarbon fuels is a well-known procedure for hydrodynamical drag reduction
This study aims to continue the previous research and is dedicated to investigation of the influence of PIB additives on the combustion process in the combustion chamber with kerosene film cooling, i.e., reductive conditions of the combustion gas, which is more typical of modern liquid propellant rocket engine (LPRE)
The effect of the polyisobutylene addition to kerosene on the combustion chamber wall film cooling efficiency was demonstrated

Summary

Introduction

Inclusion of polymers into hydrocarbon fuels is a well-known procedure for hydrodynamical drag reduction. The decrease in hydrodynamic drag is caused by the Toms effect. Recognized the reduction in wall shear stress caused by the addition of small amount of polymer to a turbulent flowing fluid. This effect is widely used in pipeline transportation of oil and shipbuilding to reduce friction. The application of kerosene polymer additives for liquid propellant rocket engine (LPRE) efficiency enhancement has been studied recently. The use of additives may decrease pressure losses in the combustion chamber cooling channels by 20%–24%, enhance fuel pump efficiency by

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