• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
• /
• v.34 no.7
• /
• pp.715-720
• /
• 2010

We propose an electroosmosis-based air delivery scheme for polymer electrolyte fuel cells and experimentally investigate its feasibility. An electroosmotic pump under a low-frequency AC electric field is used to displace initially a volume of pump working liquids. This working liquid is then pumped into a space enclosed by a flexible membrane and the movement of the membrane delivers air to a fuel cell. We successfully demonstrated the operation of a forced-convection fuel cell using this technique. In this preliminary study, however, the power consumption of the pump exceeds the power generated by the fuel cell. We conclude this paper with a discussion of several ways to reduce the pump-to-fuel cell power ratio.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.85-93
• /
• 2015

Liquid rocket engines of KSLV-II employ a turbopump feed system for propellants. A turbopump real-propellant test facility based on liquid oxygen and kerosene has been constructed for the experimental verification of the turbopump performance using the real media of propellants(i.e., LOX/Kerosene). The verification tests of sub-systems were performed such as LOX/kerosene feed system and alcohol burner system. Finally, the performance of the whole system was executed and verified through a sets of validation tests with the development model of the KSLV-II turbopumps. It has been confirmed that the test facility satisfies the operating conditions and time of the turbopump at the design and off-design performance test using real-propellant.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
• /
• 2008.05a
• /
• pp.159-162
• /
• 2008

In this study, various cycles of liquid rocket engines were surveyed and specifically gas generator after burning cycle was investigated for upper stage motors. The engines for the upper stage can be categorized into three group based on the cycles and propellants at the diagram. Kerosene engines which adapt the gas generator after burning cycle and are located in the region II, are characterized for high combustion pressure and complexity. This cycle usually needs more than two pumps to use the turbine power efficiently. The fuel line can be divided into the gas generator line and the combustor line, and only the gas generator line is need to be pressured more because the combustion pressure in the gas generator is much higher than that of the combustor. Basically, all the oxidizer goes into the gas generator and than to the combustor, thus the auxiliary LOx pump is not critically necessary. However, for the various reasons, the LOx line requires a booster pump. A gas generator after burning cycle engines produces relatively high specific impuls than that of the open cycle engines. Thus it is suitable for upper stages of launch vehicles.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.25-37
• /
• 2005

For pump-fed rocket propulsion system, the temperature of LOX to be supplied to turbopump inlet should be satisfied with pump inlet temperature requirement during all operating stages, as excessive temperatures can result in cavitation due to reduction in NPSH, thus either damaging the pump or adversely affecting pump performance rise. So exact estimation of LOX temperature rise is absolutely needed for developing reliable propulsion system. This paper presents systematic analysis scheme for estimating inner process of cryogenic propellant tank which is needed for LOX temperature rise. And this paper presents LOX temperature rise and thermal stratification for all rocket operating stages including cooling, filling, waiting, pre-pressurization and firing, with the application of buoyancy driven boundary layer theory.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
• /
• 2006.11a
• /
• pp.122-126
• /
• 2006

Two types of pressurization system and low weight feeding piping system are developed. With sub-system tests, ullage pressure control performance was verified for 1 step and 2 step pressurization system and the feeding performance of feeding piping system was also verified. The weight of the feeding piping system is low enough for the application of launch vehicle. In addition, LOX conditioning system is developed for avoiding geysering and LOX temperature rise. Integrated performance was verified through integrated on-board feeding system performance tests.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
• /
• 2009.11a
• /
• pp.107-110
• /
• 2009

A basic design for a Technical Development Model (TDM) of liquid oxygen lines from the turbopump exit to the oxidizer valves of the combustion chamber and the gas generator was conducted to develop a turbopump-fed liquid rocket engine. The TDM is composed of straight lines, elbows, bellows, a branch, an orifice, flanges and a heat insulator. Materials were determined by consideration of operation conditions, weight constraint and manufacturing procedures. The size and the location of each component were determined by flow analysis of the required flowrate and the pressure loss. Basic designs of the components were conducted by consideration of the operating temperature and the maximum expectation operating pressure. The safety factors were evaluated by structural analysis of design of each component.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
• /
• v.37 no.7
• /
• pp.717-728
• /
• 2009

In the field of rocket propulsion system hydrogen peroxide has been used as mono-propellant and as the oxidizer of bi-propellants. At the beginning, hydrogen peroxide was used as mono-propellant for thrusters, but later it had been replaced by hydrazine, which has better specific impulse and storability. On the other hand, to drive turbo-pumps, hydrogen peroxide is still being utilized. As the oxidizer of bi-propellants it was used until 1970's and from 1990's hydrogen peroxide once again got back to developer's interest, because one of the recent development purposes of rocket propulsion system is low-cost and ecologically-clean. Until now the storability of hydrogen peroxide has been remarkably improved. The combination of Kerosene/$H_2O_2$ also shows similar accelerating performance to Kerosene/$LO_x$ combination because of higher propellant density and higher O/F ratio, even though the propulsion performance is not as good as the combination of Kerosene/$LO_x$. Moreover, its combustion products are much cleaner than Kerosene/$LO_x$ combination.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
• /
• v.37 no.11
• /
• pp.1140-1147
• /
• 2009

Flow analyses have been performed to investigate the uniformity of propellant flow through the fuel and oxidizer manifolds of a full-scaled gas generator for a pump-fed liquid rocket engines. Injectors were simulated as porous medium layers having equivalent pressure drops. The uniformity of propellants has been analyzed for 3 fuel rings and 3 injector head configurations. The mixture ratio distribution at the exit of injectors has been estimated from the mass flow rates of fuel and oxidizer. The best configuration of fuel ring and injection head was selected through these flow analyses.

• The KSFM Journal of Fluid Machinery
• /
• v.5 no.3 s.16
• /
• pp.25-32
• /
• 2002

Structural and dynamic analyses of inducer and impeller for an oxidizer turbopump are peformed to investigate the safety level of strength and vibration at a design point. Due to high rotational speed of turbopump, effects of centrifugal forces are carefully considered in the structural analysis. Hydrodynamic pressure is also considered as an external force applied to inducer and impeller blades. A three-dimensional Finite Element Method (FEM) is used for linear and nonlinear structural analyses with modified Newton-Raphson iteration method. After the nonlinear trim solution is obtained from the structural analysis, dynamic characteristics are obtained as a function of rotational speed from the linearized eigenvalue analysis at an equilibrium position. According to the results of numerical analysis, the safety margins of strength and vibration resonances are sufficient enough for safe operation within the requited life cycle.

• 유체기계공업학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2001.11a
• /
• pp.271-278
• /
• 2001

Structural and dynamic analyses of inducer and impeller for a oxidizer turbopump are peformed to investigate the safety level of strength and vibration at design point. Due to high rotational speed of turbopump, effects of centrifugal forces are carefully considered in the structural analysis. Hydrodynamic pressure is also considered as an external force applied to inducer and impeller blades. A three dimensional finite element method(FEM) is used for linear and nonlinear structural analyses with modified Newton-Raphson iteration method. After the nonlinear trim solution is obtained from the structural analysis, dynamic characteristics are obtained as a function of rotational speed from the linearized eigenvalue analysis at an equilibrium position. According to the results of numerical analysis, the safety margins of strength and vibration resonances m sufficient enough to be operated safely within the required life cycle.