• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.247-255
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to investigate unsteady-state characteristics of a pintle thruster with various pintle speed. Based on steady state experimental results, non-linear pintle stroke equation is obtained and applied to the unsteady state experimental system. For the unsteady state experiments, three different pintle speeds are used: 3.10 mm/s, 5.65 mm/s, 10.83 mm/s, respectively. Results show that backward pintle stroke results in faster convergence time because of high chamber pressure during backward pintle stroke sequence. During the forward and backward process, thrust curve shows singular points. These phenomenons is caused by variation of mass flow rate, which is mainly due to changes of both chamber pressures and nozzle throat area. This behavior becomes distinctive for a faster pintle speed case.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.1-9
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• 2017

Numerical computations are performed to investigate the effect of pintle stroke on the performance of an internal pintle thruster. Results show that the thrust control ratio was less than 2% and the aerodynamic load ratio was 22% as the pintle stroke increased. The flow past the nozzle throat rapidly expanding because of the shape of the pintle, and a shock wave was generated. Particularly, at the pintle stroke distance of 4 and 5 mm, the shock wave hit the wall of the nozzle, results in peeling bubbles. Depending on the altitude, the thrust increased and the aerodynamic load decreased, but the difference was as small as 1.5%. In the presence of the bore, the reduction of the pintle tip area resulted in a decrease in aerodynamic load.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.43 no.12
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• pp.1071-1078
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• 2015

Numerical computations were performed to investigate the effects of pintle stroke, altitude, and bore on the performance of an external pintle thruster. Results show that under-expansion flow occurs always, independent of pintle stroke. An external pintle thruster shows good performance in that it is capable of good amount of thrust control, while aerodynamic loads are increased due to shock waves on the pintle support. When altitude is increased to 20 km, the nozzle exit velocity, Mach number, thrust as well as aerodynamic loads are increased. Bore increases aerodynamic load 5.9%, and therefore pintle shape without bore is preferred for lower aerodynamic load of a pintle in order to actuate the pintle.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.43-53
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• 2022

In this study, analysis of the flow characteristics of pintle-controlled nozzle with split-line TVC system and the thrust performance prediction was performed. The numerical computation was verified by comparing the thrust coefficient derived from the analysis results with the experimental data. By applying the same numerical analysis technique, the flow characteristics of nozzle were confirmed according to operating altitude, pintle stroke position and TVC angle with the 1/10 scale. As the TVC angle increased, thrust loss occurred and the tendency of AF was different depending on the position of the pintle stroke. Based on the analysis results, the relation of thrust coefficient was derived by applying the response surface methods. The thrust performance model with a slight difference of 1.2% on average from the analysis result was generated.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.311-317
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• 2015

This paper describes how to apply one-dimensional simulation to predict unsteady state characteristics of the cold-gas pintle thruster. Mass flow rate, chamber pressure, and nozzle exit pressure are key parameters for thrust control. Chamber pressure rose and fell monotonously with the pintle stroke variation, while thrust variation was different from chamber pressure variation. During the forward pintle stroke operation, the thrust value tended to decrease initially and returned to increase when pintle speed and chamber free volume exceed some specified value. Even though one-dimensional simulation has the limitations to predict unsteady state characteristics, it is still useful for initial performance assessment of various thrusters which adopt an altitude compensation nozzle such as a dual-bell nozzle, prior to experiment or numerical analysis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.68-75
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• 2015

In this paper, unsteady characteristics of pressure in solid rocket motor were analyzed by using response of pintle actuation, pressure and thrust data from ground test. Pressure and thrust in solid rocket motor can be controlled in real time by varying nozzle throat area with pintle, installed in the valve. Unsteady characteristics of pressure can be observed in this system occurred by various reasons. Two critical reasons, error of pintle actuation and ablation of center tube, are found and effects of each reason can be analyzed individually by re-prediction of pressure with response of pintle actuation and analyzing thrust to pressure ratio.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.28-34
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• 2019

The thrust control calculation according to the operation of plug nozzle for cold air test and the analysis of the flow characteristics of the pintle shape and operation pressure are performed. The numerical computation was verified by comparing the flow structure and the coefficient of thrust with the experimental data. It was confirmed that the nozzle throat was formed at the design position on each pintle shape, and thrust control up to 1:8 was achieved only by the stroke change. Finally, although the aerospike nozzle is autonomous, it is unfavorable in the under_expansion condition, if it is designed for a very low nozzle pressure ratio.