Investigation on Suppression of Hard-Start Phenomena in a Hypergolic Bipropellant Engine

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In hypergolic bipropellant engines, suppressing the ignition process involving a sharp rise in pressure, known as a hard start, is crucial to prevent fatal damage to the engine and excessive load on the spacecraft. The aim of this study is to establish design guidelines for injectors capable of suppressing hard starts. Measuring the pressure in the injector-manifold and combustion chamber demonstrates that the conditions for avoiding a hard start are closely related to the stability of the oxidizer jet. Furthermore, experimental guidelines are obtained for hard-start suppression.