• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2007.04a
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• pp.45-48
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• 2007

Conventional force sensors such as piezoelectric sensor has limitations for measuring micro/nano-scale thrust. In this study we developed nano-scale measurement system using laser displacement sensor and cantilever. And electrospray microthruster was fabricated by using stainless capillary and extraction electrode, to generate nano-scale thrust. The measurement system can measure the around 90 nN thrust from this thruster. In addition, we designed and fabricated electrospray micro thruster based on PMMA(Polymethyl methacrylate), which has a nozzle protruded from the substrate.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.67-70
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• 2006

In this study micro-thrust measurement method in high vacuum chamber is introduced. This is important for the development of micro-thruster for micro-satellite applications. At Chungnam national University, high-vacuum experimental facility has been constructed to simulate space environment. And strain gauge besed micro-thrust measurement in vacuum chamber has been studied and discussed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.42-49
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• 2007

In this study, we analyzed flow characteristics of micro-nozzles for basic research to develop micro propulsion system. Cold gas propulsion system was used, and micro-nozzles having nozzle throat diameters of 1.0, 0.5, 0.25 mm were fabricated with EDM method. Thrust was measured through the use of plate-spring and strain gage based thrust measurement system, and flow characteristics of micro-nozzles were analyzed under ambient condition and vacuum condition. We used argon and nitrogen gases as propellant, and compared experimental results with CFD analysis. From the result, we verified the flow losses of viscosity and back-pressure caused by minimization of nozzle.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• v.y2005m4
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• pp.39-43
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• 2005

In this paper, we describe the contents of the achievement of basic experiments for manufacturing and evaluating a micro-rocket using solid propellant, as the device of the micro thrust generator which can be used for attitude control of satellites. We try to analyze performance of the rocket through visualization of the motor jet, and adopt various ignition methods to obtain confidence in ignition problem. For this purpose, we develop and test two different types of thrust measurement system.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2004.03a
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• pp.617-621
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• 2004

Miniaturization of subsystems including propulsion systems is recent trends in spacecraft technology. Small space vehicle propulsion is not only a technological challenge of a scaling system down, but also a combination of fundamental flow/combustion constraints. In this paper, physical constraints of micronozzle for cold gas micro-thruster are reviewed and discussed. Method to measure small thrust are also described.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• v.y2005m4
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• pp.381-385
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• 2005

Recently, spacecraft technology trends can be expressed three words, i.e. 'faster, cheaper and smaller'. Among these systems, micro propulsion device is an essential component. Also micro nozzle is the most important part in the micro propulsion device. In case of cold-gas thruster, micro nozzle converts the stored energy in a pressurized gas into kinetic energy through expansion ratio. In this paper we report characteristics of micro nozzle with throat expansion ratio and ratio of specific heats. We measure thrusts using strain gauge based thrust measurement system. We can estimate the micro nozzle performance through experiments.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.36 no.8
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• pp.780-789
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• 2008

A new method for measuring the performance of a micro-thruster is suggested in this paper. A few thrust stands have been developed for measuring micro-level thrusts. This paper describes a different measurement method that can minimize the calibration involved in the measurements, while providing the capability of directly measuring the produced minimum impulse bit directly. The underlying theory and the theoretical background for the measurement mechanism are described here. The theory and method is verified using a computer simulation, and the result is given in this paper. The theory has also been tested on an actual hardware. Although this hardware is a prototype, developed for proof-of-concept analysis, satisfactory results have been obtained.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.111-117
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• 2018

In this study, an MEMS thrust measurement system was designed and a study on the performance prediction of system was performed to evaluate the performance of micro thruster. Thrust measurement system consists of beam, membrane, and piezoresistive sensor. An FEM analysis was carried out to verify the stability of the system, confirm the stress variation at the beam, and position the piezoresistive sensor. The stability of the designed system was verified by comparing the yield strength of the material with the maximum stress. The piezoresistive sensor was designed to be 20% of the length of the beam to obtain a high gauge factor. The size of the membrane and the beam of the reference model were designed to be $15mm{\times}15mm$, and $500{\mu}m{\times}500{\mu}m$, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.54-61
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• 2004

Miniaturization of subsystems including propulsion systems is recent trends in spacecraft technology. Small space vehicle propulsion is not only a technological challenge of a scaling system down, but also a combination of fundamental flow/combustion constraints. In this paper, physical constraints of micronozzle for cold gas micro-thruster are reviewed and discussed. Method to measure small thrust are also described.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.393-397
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• 2006

In this study, combustion characteristics of solid propellants using sorbitol and potassium nitrate were found out. Burning rate was calculated with several combustion experiments, also specific impulse and characteristic exhaust velocity were compared with theoretical value. Thrust measured with thrust measurement system using plate spring. Mixture ratio of propellants was varied in experiments, also combustion characteristics of solid propellants which consulted experimental results was used micro solid rocket design having 1mm nozzle throat.