• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.34-39
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• 2014

A study is analyzed on the design factor of center-body diffuser and performed on conceptual design of center-body diffuser with computational fluid dynamic. The flow field of center-body diffuser is calculated using axisymmetric two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equation with $k-{\epsilon}$ turbulencemodel. The center-body diffuser is compared with second throat exhaust diffuser in terms of starting pressure, the degree of vacuum pressure and the design factors. The counter flow jet on cone-tip of the center-body is applied for thermal protection system in the center-body diffuser.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.105-110
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• 2010

Supersonic ejectors are simple mechanical components, which generally perform mixing and recompression of two fluid streams. Ejectors have found many applications in engineering. In aerospace engineering, they are used for high altitude testing (HAT) of a propulsion system by reducing the pressure of a test chamber. It is composed of three major sections: a vacuum test chamber, a propulsive nozzle, and a supersonic exhaust diffuser (SED). This paper aims at the improvement in HAT facility by focusing attention on the vertical firing rocket test stand with shock generators. Shock generators are mounted inside the SED for improving the pressure recovery. The results clearly showed that the performance of the ejector-diffuser system was improved with the addition of shock generators. The improvement comes in the form of reduction of the starting pressure ratio and the vertical height of test stand. It is also shown that shock generators are useful in reducing the total pressure loss in the SED.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2011.11a
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• pp.881-884
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• 2011

Secondary throat supersonic exhaust diffusers were designed by Normal-shock theory and manufactured. Experimental studies of the diffusers were performed using nitrogen gas of room temperature. It showed a difference about 18% between the experimental and theoretical results. The difference was shown by friction loss at the wall of the diffuers.

• 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.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.570-573
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• 2012

Performance characteristics of subscale diffuser for high-altitude simulation have been numerically investigated. The length of diffuser entrance with respect to nozzle exit diameter was changed to 0, 50, 100%, respectively. In addition, flow characteristics have been studied for various length to diameter ratio of secondary throat diffuser. As a result, the shape of plume was contracted for insufficient length of diffuser entrance. Also, if the length to diameter ratio of secondary throat diffuser were less than 7 or 8, mach disk has been formed inside the diffuser.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.41 no.9
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• pp.563-570
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• 2017

Experimental and numerical studies were performed to investigate the performance and internal flow characteristics of a supersonic second throat exhaust diffuser (STED) with back pressure ($P_a$). An ejector system was used to vary the back pressure ($P_a$) conditions. The operating gas for the STED and the ejector was high pressure nitrogen at room temperature. When the back pressure ($P_a$) at a constant nozzle inlet pressure $P_0$) decreases, the pressure recovery location moves downstream. If the pressure ratio $P_0/P_a$) is the same, even if the nozzle inlet pressures $P_0$) are different, the diffuser's internal flow pattern and starting pressure ratio ($(P_0/P_a)_{st}$) are almost the same.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.31-34
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• 2007

Performance tests of supersonic exhaust diffuser were conducted by using hot combustion gas for simulating high-altitude environment. The test rig consists of a combustion chamber, a vacuum chamber, water cooling ring and diffuser. Before combustion experiments, the preliminary leak tests were carried out on the liquid rocket engine and diffuser by using high pressure nitrogen(30barg) and a vacuum pump. The leak test results showed that there was no leaks at high pressure and vacuum pressure conditions.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.93-102
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• 2016

An experimental study has been conducted to verify the startup characteristic of a Center Body Diffuser (CBD) for simulating a low pressure environment when at high altitudes. Vacuum chamber pressure and startup characteristics of the CBD were investigated according to various geometries of the center body structure by a cold gas flow test. The test results show that the startup pressure is lowest when the center body contraction angle is approximately $15^{\circ}$. The startup characteristic of the CBDs significantly improves when the diffuser inlet length ($L_d/D_d$) is decreasing and the divergence length ($L_s$) is increasing. Additionally, it is possible to simulate various high altitude, low pressure conditions for various rocket engines that have different nozzle expansion ratios by adjusting the center body's position inside the diffuser.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.38 no.12
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• pp.1195-1201
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• 2010

Performance tests of a supersonic exhaust diffuser were conducted by using a liquid rocket engine for simulating high-altitude environment. The experimental setup consisted of a combustion chamber, a vacuum chamber and a diffuser. The combustion tests for simulating high-altitude environment were carried out at three cases by chamber pressure variation(26, 29, 32barg). The test results showed that the diffuser was started at all case and vacuum chamber pressures were approximately 140torr. The starting pressure using combustion gas was similar with that of cold gas, but the vacuum chamber pressure was relatively high because of high temperature in the vacuum chamber. The results of this test can be used as an essential database for the design of real-scale high-altitude simulation test facility in the future.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.279-288
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• 2014

Second throat supersonic exhaust diffusers (STEDs) were designed to simulate high-altitude conditions according to the normal-shock model. Experimental studies were performed on the STEDs to investigate how performance characteristics varied with the length and diameter of the STED using high-pressure nitrogen gas. The variation in performance due to length indicated that the performance of the STED could be very slightly improved by adjusting the diffuser inlet length ($L_d$), and it could be significantly improved by optimizing the second throat length ratio ($L_{st}/D_{st}$) and the divergence length ($L_s$). The starting and vacuum chamber pressures exhibited the highest level of performance near ($A_d/A_{st}$) of the design point.