Calculation of minimum supply of fuel in contact with the innertank device to ensure the operation of a liquid-propellant rocket engine in zero gravity

The paper introduces the results of theoretical studies of the process of liquid fuel deposition in liquid-propellant rocket engine tanks under conditions of free (undisturbed) orbital (suborbital) flight under the influence of a small pre-launch overload created by auxiliary engines before the liquid-propellant sustainer starting. In this work, we estimated the relaxation time of the free volume of liquid for the most unfavorable case, and the minimum supply of the covolume for the guaranteed starting and uninterrupted operation of the liquid-propellant rocket engine in zero gravity. Furthermore, we investigated the possibility of controlling the relaxation time with a gradual or stepwise starting operation. The proposed formula makes it possible at the design stage to assess the minimum supply of fuel, which can be in contact with the innertank device before starting the liquid-propellant sustainer in zero gravity in order to ensure the uninterrupted operation of the propulsion system.

WC-Co and WC-Co-Cr Coatings for the Protection of API Pipeline Steel from Corrosion in 4% NaCl Solution

Two inorganic coatings, namely 88%WC-12%Co (PSC1) and 86%WC-10%Co-4%Cr (PSC2), were deposited on the surface of an API-2H pipeline steel using high velocity oxy-fuel deposition. The corrosion of the uncoated and coated API-2H steel after their immersion in a solution of 4.0% NaCl for 1 h, 24 h, and 48 h has been studied. Various electrochemical measurements such cyclic potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and potentiostatic current versus time were employed. The surface morphology and analysis were carried out via the use of scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray examinations. All experiments have revealed that the deposited coatings decreased the cathodic current, anodic current, corrosion current density (jCorr), absolute current versus time, and the corrosion rate (RCorr) compared to the uncoated API-2H steel. The value of jCorr decreased from 47 µA/cm2 for uncoated steel to 38 µA/cm2 for the PSC1-coated steel and 29 µA/cm2 for the PSC2-coated steel. Moreover, prolonging the time of exposure decreases the jCorr and RCorr values. The jCorr values obtained after 48 h recorded 32, 26, and 20 µA/cm2 for the uncoated, PSC1, and PSC2 samples, respectively. Moreover, applying these coatings also led to increasing the corrosion resistance (RP) after all the exposure periods of time. In addition, the PSC2 coating was found to be more protective against corrosion for the surface of the steel than the PSC1 coating.

Experimental evaluation of rational parameters of pre-acceleration to ensure liquid sustainer engine launch in zero gravity

The paper presents the results of experimental studies of liquid fuel deposition processes in liquid rocket propulsion system tanks under the conditions of free, i.e. unperturbed, orbital and suborbital flight under the influence of small prestart G-load created by auxiliary engines before liquid sustainer engine launch. Having conducted the dimension analysis, we formed the structure of dimensionless groups, which determine the dependence of the time required for fuel deposition to the tank intake, on the g level, the degree of tank filling and the physical properties of the propellant. Experimental studies were carried out on a zero gravity test bench, using the principle of implementing below-G conditions at the free fall of the equipment under test, and on a laboratory aircraft at the "Kepler's parabola" flight. The results of experimental studies have shown that the effect of viscosity on the deposition rate is practically absent. At the same time, in experiments it was found that, starting with Bond numbers exceeding 40 ... 50, the dimensionless separation time does not depend on Bond number, the value of the latter being determined by the minimum radius of free gas inclusions, deformed during when ascending during the separation process. Findings of research show that with a considerable duration of the prestart G load pulse, the movement of gas bubbles in the liquid under the action of a G load pulse becomes quasistationary.