DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Liquid phase hydrogen peroxide decomposition for micro-propulsion applications

  • McDevitt, M. Ryan (Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Vermont) ;
  • Hitt, Darren L. (Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Vermont)
  • 투고 : 2016.02.26
  • 심사 : 2016.04.21
  • 발행 : 2017.01.25

초록

Hydrogen peroxide is being considered as a monopropellant in micropropulsion systems for the next generation of miniaturized satellites ('nanosats') due to its high energy density, modest specific impulse and green characteristics. Efforts at the University of Vermont have focused on the development of a MEMS-based microthruster that uses a novel slug flow monopropellant injection scheme to generate thrust and impulse-bits commensurate with the intended micropropulsion application. The present study is a computational effort to investigate the initial decomposition of the monopropellant as it enters the catalytic chamber, and to compare the impact of the monopropellant injection scheme on decomposition performance. Two-dimensional numerical studies of the monopropellant in microchannel geometries have been developed and used to characterize the performance of the monopropellant before vaporization occurs. The results of these studies show that monopropellant in the lamellar flow regime, which lacks a non-diffusive mixing mechanism, does not decompose at a rate that is suitable for the microthruster dimensions. In contrast, monopropellant in the slug flow regime decomposes 57% faster than lamellar flow for a given length, indicating that the monopropellant injection scheme has potential benefits for the performance of the microthruster.

키워드

과제정보

연구 과제 주관 기관 : NASA

참고문헌

  1. Cervone, A., Torre, L., d‟Agostino, L., Musker, A., Roberts, G., Bramanti, C. and Saccocia, G. (2006), "Development of hydrogen peroxide monopropellant rockets", Proceedings of the 42nd AIAA/ASME/SAE/ ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference, Sacramento, CA, July.
  2. Gauer, M., Telitschkin, D., Gotizg, U., Batonneau, Y., Johansson, H., Ivanov, M., Palmer, P. and Wiegerink, R. (2014), "First results of PRECISE-development of a MEMS-based monopropellant micro chemical propulsion system", Acta Astronautica, 93, 77-83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2013.06.010
  3. Hitt, D.L., Zakrzwski, C. and Thomas, M. (2001), "MEMS-based satellite micropropulsion via catalyzed hydrogen peroxide decomposition", J. Smart Mater. Struct., 10, 1163-1175. https://doi.org/10.1088/0964-1726/10/6/305
  4. Huh, J. and Kwon, S. (2014), "Design, fabrication and thrust measurement of a micro liquid monopropellant thruster", J. Micromech. Microeng., 24(10), 104001. https://doi.org/10.1088/0960-1317/24/10/104001
  5. Krejci, D., Woschnak, A., Scharlemann, C. and Ponweiser, K. (2012), "Structural impact of honeycomb catalysts on hydrogen peroxide decomposition for micro propulsion", Chem. Eng. Res. Des., 90(12), 2302-2315. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cherd.2012.05.015
  6. Krejci, D., Woschnak, M., Scharlemann, C., Ponweiser, K., Brahmi, R., Batonneau, Y. and Kappenstein, C. (2013), "Assessment of catalysts for hydrogen-peroxide-based thrusters in a flow reactor", J. Propuls. Power, 29(2), 321-330. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.B34615
  7. Louisos, W.F. and Hitt, D.L. (2008), Supersonic Micronozzles, Encyclopedia of Microfluidics and Nanofluidics, Springer Publishing, New York, New York, USA.
  8. McDevitt, M. and Hitt, D. (2011), "Numerical study of disperse monopropellant slug formation at cross junction", Proceedings of the 41st AIAA Fluid Dynamics Conference, Honolulu, HI, June.
  9. McDevitt, M. and Hitt, D. (2013), "Enhanced laminar mixing in multifluid droplets via multiphase flow in a microchannel", Proceedings of the 43rd AIAA Fluid Dynamics Conference, San Diego, CA, June.
  10. Mueller, J., Hofer, R. and Ziemer, J. (2010), Survey of Propulsion Technologies Applicable to CubeSats, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA.
  11. NASA Mission Design Division Staff (2014), Small Spacecraft Technology State of the Art, Moffat Field, CA.
  12. Osher, S. and Sethian, J. (1988), "Fronts propagating with curvature-dependent speed: algorithms based on Hamilton-Jacobi formulations", J. Comp. Phys., 79, 1249.
  13. Thomas, M.A. (2000), "Design and testing of hydrogen peroxide microelectricalmechanical system", Ph.D. Dissertation; George Washington University, Washington D.C., USA.
  14. Valenzuela, J., Garcia, C., Garcia, Z. and Choudhurri, A. (2011), "HTP decomposition in millimeter scale channel type catalytic reactors", Proceedings of 47th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit, San Diego, CA, July/August.
  15. Whitehead, J. (1998), "Hydrogen peroxide propulsion for smaller satellites", Proceedings of 1st International Hydrogen Peroxide Propulsion Conference, Guildford, UK.
  16. Widdis, S., Asante, K., Hitt, D., Cross, M., Varhue, W. and McDevitt, M. (2013), "A MEMS-based catalytic micro-reactor for a $H_2O_2$ monopropellant micropropulsion system", IEEE/ASME Tran. Mech., 1, 1-9.
  17. Zhou, X. and Hitt, D.L (2003), "One-dimensional modeling of catalyzed H2O2 decomposition in microchannel flows", Proceedings of 33rd AIAA Fluid Dynamics Conference and Exhibit, Orlando, FL, June.
  18. Zhou, X. and Hitt, D.L. (2004), "Modeling of catalyzed hydrogen peroxide decomposition in slender microchannels with arrhenius kinetics", Proceedings of 40th AIAA/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, July.
  19. Zhou, X. and Hitt, D.L. (2005), "Numerical modeling of monopropellant decomposition in a micro-catalyst bed", Proceedings of 35th AIAA Fluid Dynamics Conference and Exhibit, Toronto, Canada, June.