Hybrid propulsion technology has received growing attention in recent years due to its advantages over conventional liquid and solid rocket solutions. It is safe, low cost and shows variable thrust. For being spread as a key technology in aerospace sector, it is mandatory to investigate green propellants. Despite the vast amount of literature and worldwide projects available on hybrid, works on biopolymers green propellants¿ still suffer a limited maturity level. The goal of this project is to investigate, via an experimental and numerical approach, the feasibility and the performance of biopolymers -based fuels.
In this proposal, the investigation of biopolymers based fuels for green propellant hybrid rockets is proposed. Green propellant hybrid rockets have a lot of advantages over conventional systems: safe, environmental friendly, highly performant and cheaper. Therefore these systems could be a key issue for future space applications. However, they still present some drawbacks, such as the low thrust densities and complex grain design with multiple fuel ports, resulting in larger residuals and compromised grain integrity. This project proposes to investigate by means of the combination of the theoretical and experimental work innovative solutions to overcome hybrid propulsions weakness and to make this technology feasible.
Starting from a ¿theoretic-numerical¿ investigation of the fluid dynamics, the chemistry, the thermodynamics inside the combustion flow, it will be advisable to improve scientific understanding of turbulence, chemical kinetics, heat exchange, vaporization, pyrolysis and multi-phase coupling in green propellants hybrid combustion. Experimental results also will focus both on the performance of the whole system, but above all on the characterization of combustion products, pressure history in the combustor, the regression rate of the grain for different shapes, oxidants flow rates, injections systems.
This will not only allow understanding strengths and weaknesses of hybrid combustion, but will also allow proposing innovative solutions for more performing green propellant next generation of hybrid rockets. Results will be available to the scientific community in order to be of support for all people working in this field.