Abstract:
A Semi Cryogenic Engine is being developed to power the booster stages of India's future launch vehicles. Achieving the highest possible specific impulse for a particular propellant combination has always been a key factor for space launch systems.
Many of the current rocket engines work on toxic propellants combination like Monomethyl hydrazine (MMH), Nitrogen Tetroxide (N2O4), Unsymmetric Dimethly Hydrazine (UDMH) are difficult to handle. Any failure using this propellant have catastrophic implications on environment. There is an increased thrust to explore environment friendly propellants.
Need for high thrust booster for increased payload requirement along with reliability and reusability have provided a new focus that is centered on using high density impulse (LOX/ISR) propellant combination working with oxidizer rich staged combustion (ORSC) cycle.
Various developmental activities have been taken up to gain expertise in design of thrust chamber injector, a critical component that largely determines the engine performance and main chamber life.
The goals of the effort described here are to establish an empirical knowledge base to provide a fundamental understanding of main chamber injectors and for verification of an injector design methodology for the ORSC cycle. This paper provides a summary of the status of injector developmental activities at LPSC, ISRO. The baseline Preburner and injector operating conditions and geometries are described. Injector performances in tests carried out are briefly discussed.