The NASA Glenn Research Center is developing hydrogen based combined cycle propulsion technology for a single-stage-to-orbit launch vehicle application under a project called GTX. Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) propulsion systems incorporate one or more rocket engines into an airbreathing flow path to increase specific impulse as compared to an all rocket-powered vehicle. In support of this effort, an RBCC direct-connect test capability was established at the Engine Components Research Laboratory to investigate low speed, ejector ramjet, and initial ramjet operations and performance. The facility and test article enables the evaluation of two candidate low speed operating schemes; the simultaneous mixing and combustion (SMC) and independent ramjet stream (IRS). The SMC operating scheme is based on the fuel rich operations of the rocket where performance depends upon mixing between the rocket plume and airstream. In contrast, the IRS scheme fuels the airstream separately and uses the rocket plume to ignite the fuel-air mixture. This paper describes the test hardware and facility upgrades installed to support the RBCC tests. It also defines and discusses low speed technical challenges being addressed by the experiments. Finally, preliminary test results, including rocket risk mitigating tests, unfueled airflow tests, and the integrated system hot fire test will be presented.
Status of the RBCC Direct-Connect Mixer Combustor Experiment
2002
16 pages
Report
No indication
English
Rocket Propellants , Space Technology , Meetings , Rocket-based combined-cycle engines , Propulsion system performance , Propulsion system configurations , Engine tests , Pressure distribution , Combustion chambers , Air flow , Low speed , Fuel combustion , Hydrogen fuels , Engine testing laboratories , Single stage to orbit vehicles
Direct-Connect Ejector Ramjet Combustor Experiment
British Library Conference Proceedings | 2003
|Direct-Connect Ejector Ramjet Combustor Experiment
AIAA | 2003
|