• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2008

In order to verify the performance of upper stage propulsion system designed to operate in the upper atmosphere, test facility which can simulate high altitude is needed. Cylindrical supersonic exhaust diffuser, which utilizes the momentum of exhaust gas, provides a simple means for providing a low pressure around the propulsion system. This paper describes sub-systems and specification of high altitude test facility developed for the test of KSLV-I kick motor. Performance of the facility has been successfully verified through five times of hot firing tests.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.73-82
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• 2015

A high altitude test facility which includes supersonic diffuser and ejector has been developed to simulate atmospheric pressure at 25 km using a 500 N class small scale liquid rocket engine. Also high altitude simulation test for the small scale liquid rocket engine was performed to verify the facility's performance. The experimental facility consists of high altitude simulation device, propellants supply system and coolant supply system. Low pressure condition corresponding to about 27 km(0.021 bar) altitude atmosphere was successfully simulated and a small scale liquid rocket engine thrust level was confirmed at the simulated condition by the high altitude test facility verification test.

• Aerospace Engineering and Technology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.117-121
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• 2012

Upper stage propulsion system designed for operation in the upper atmosphere should be tested under nozzle full flow conditions to verify its performance on the ground. KARI has carried out high altitude simulation test of KSLV-I kick motor using cylindrical supersonic exhaust diffuser. Also cold and hot flow test for the sub-scaled diffuser have been conducted to verify the design of real scale diffuser and to study its operating characteristics. This paper deals with the results obtained from these high altitude simulation tests.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2017.05a
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• pp.1011-1015
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• 2017

In this study, numerical and experimental studies on the nozzle flow in a sub-scale cold flow test were conducted to simulate high altitude condition. In the theoretical calculation, the temperature of the nozzle outlet is calculated to be lower than the liquefaction point, and the fluid exists at the phase change point. Also, numerical analysis result is higher than theory calculation but lower than liquefaction temperature. As a result of cold flow test, it was confirmed that the temperature was much higher than theory and analysis. This is because it assumed that it is adiabatic in the theoretical calculation, but the experiment in the actual environment is not the adiabatic but the heat exchange with the outside exists.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.45 no.11
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• pp.914-921
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• 2017

The experimental research on a high-altitude environment simulation of space launch vehicle is important for securing independent technologies with launching space vehicles and completing missions. This study selected an altitude of 65 km for the experiment environment where it exceeded Mach number of 6 after the launch of Korean Space Launch Vehicle(KSLV-II). Shock tunnel was used to replicate the flight condition. After flow establishment, in order to confirm aerodynamic characteristics and normal and oblique shockwaves, the flow verification was carried out by measuring stagnation pressure and heat flux of a forebody model, and shockwave stand-off distance of a hemispherical model. In addition, a shock-free technique to recover free-stream condition has been developed and verified. From the results of the three verification tests, it was confirmed that the flow was replicated with the error of about ${\pm}3%$. The error between the slope angle of inclined shockwave of the scaled down transition section model using the shock-free shape and the slope angle of the horizontal plate model, and between the theoretical and the experimental value of the static pressure of the model were confirmed to be 2% and 1%, respectively. As a result, the efficiency of the shockwave cancellation technique has been verified.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.61-68
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• 2010

A small high altitude test facility has been developed to investigate ignition performance of a small gas-turbine combustor under high altitude conditions. Supersonic diffusers and a heat exchanger were used to perform a low pressure and a low temperature condition, respectively. Experimental results showed that the low pressure environment could be controlled by upstream pressure of primary nozzle flow and low temperature environment by mixture ratio of cooled air and ambient air. Ignition performance tests were performed to verify the performance of the facility under simulated high altitude conditions. Conclusively, it was proven that the test facility could be used for ignition performance test of a small gas-turbine combustor under high altitude condition of approximately 6,100m.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.189-192
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• 2003

This paper summarizes a satellite program-specific performance requirements and test results for the verification of standard mono-propellant hydrazine thruster (MRE-1) producing 0.95 lbf (4.2 Newtons) nominal steady-state thrust at an inlet pressure of 350 psia (2.41 Mpa). Performance characteristics are shown in terms of thrust behavior at steady state and pulse mode firing. Hot firing test philosophy is briefly introduced, too.