The present paper illustrates the results of an experimental campaign carried out using LR-III-106 catalyst developed by ALTA S.p.A. in collaboration with the Chemical Department of Pisa University. The catalytic bed has been integrated into a hydrogen peroxide monopropellant thruster prototype and tested in ALTA’s Green Propellant Rocket Test Facility. Endurance tests on LR-III-106 catalyst had been already performed with the same thruster prototype at a lower mass flux (G≈12 kg/m^2 s): the bed was able to decompose up to 13 kg of 90% hydrogen peroxide, equivalent to 2500 s of thruster continuous operation, exhibiting C-Star efficiency higher than 95%. The tests reported in the present paper have been aimed at investigating the performance of the catalyst and the thruster with a mass flux increased up to 55 kg/m^2 s. The bed has shown high decomposition and propulsive efficiencies, well in excess of 90%. The cold start-up transient has been reduced to about 1 s, one...
High Mass Flux Tests on Catalytic Beds for H2O2 Monopropellant Thruster
PASINI, ANGELO;D'AGOSTINO, LUCA
2010-01-01
Abstract
The present paper illustrates the results of an experimental campaign carried out using LR-III-106 catalyst developed by ALTA S.p.A. in collaboration with the Chemical Department of Pisa University. The catalytic bed has been integrated into a hydrogen peroxide monopropellant thruster prototype and tested in ALTA’s Green Propellant Rocket Test Facility. Endurance tests on LR-III-106 catalyst had been already performed with the same thruster prototype at a lower mass flux (G≈12 kg/m^2 s): the bed was able to decompose up to 13 kg of 90% hydrogen peroxide, equivalent to 2500 s of thruster continuous operation, exhibiting C-Star efficiency higher than 95%. The tests reported in the present paper have been aimed at investigating the performance of the catalyst and the thruster with a mass flux increased up to 55 kg/m^2 s. The bed has shown high decomposition and propulsive efficiencies, well in excess of 90%. The cold start-up transient has been reduced to about 1 s, one...I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.