Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1

1.1 BASELINE DUCTED ROCKET COMBUSTOR FLOWFIELD ......................................................................... 1
1.2 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES ........................................................................................................................ 7
1.3 LITERATURE REVIEW............................................................................................................................ 7
1.3.1 Ramjet Combustor Modeling ....................................................................................................... 8
1.3.2 Boron Particle Combustion ....................................................................................................... 10
1.3.3 Carbon Particle Combustion ..................................................................................................... 14
1.3.3.1 Diffusion Flame Soot Combustion ...................................................................................................... 14
1.3.3.2 Carbon Particle Combustion ............................................................................................................... 14
1.3.3.3 Coal Combustion Research ................................................................................................................. 15

CHAPTER 2 FUEL EXHAUST CHARACTERIZATION................................................................. 19

2.1 THERMOCHEMISTRY ........................................................................................................................... 19
2.1.1 Gas generator Exhaust Composition ......................................................................................... 19
2.1.1.1 Equilibrium Calculations..................................................................................................................... 19
2.1.1.2 Non-Equilibrium Calculations ............................................................................................................ 20

2.1.2 Gas Generator Exhaust Temperature ........................................................................................ 27

2.1.3 Combustor Thermochemistry ..................................................................................................... 29
2.2 PARTICLE COLLECTION ...................................................................................................................... 31
2.2.1 Propellant Surface Particle Testing........................................................................................... 32
2.2.1.1 Window bomb testing ......................................................................................................................... 32
2.2.1.1 Particle Collection tests....................................................................................................................... 34

2.2.2 Gas Generator Exhaust Particle Testing ................................................................................... 36

2.2.3 Combustor Exit Exhaust Characterization ................................................................................ 41
CHAPTER 3 RAMJET VERIFICATION TESTS............................................................................... 44
3.1 SSST PROGRAM DIRECT CONNECT TESTS.......................................................................................... 44
3.1.1 Validation Ramjet Test Description ........................................................................................... 44
3.1.2 Test Data.................................................................................................................................... 48
3.2 DATA REDUCTION PROCEDURES ........................................................................................................ 53
3.2.1 Thermochemistry........................................................................................................................ 54
3.2.2 Air Mass Flow Measurement ..................................................................................................... 55
3.2.3 Flow Areas ................................................................................................................................. 55
3.2.4 Ramburner Nozzle Discharge Coefficient.................................................................................. 55
3.2.5 Pressure-Based Combustion Efficiency ..................................................................................... 56

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