Planar Nozzles for Controllable Microthrusters
Publication: Journal of Aerospace Engineering
Volume 30, Issue 3
Abstract
Orbital maneuvering of microsatellite and nanosatellite requirements can be efficiently addressed by planar nozzles, in which real-time thrust control is gained actuating on the nozzle throat area. In the present work, the method of characteristics is used to design a hypersonic contour; then, the resulting profile is laser cut, assembled, and built into a propulsion system to finally perform tests in a vacuum chamber under several working conditions. Results are used to validate the profile and modeling assumptions and investigate overall behavior. Tests showed that thrust-inlet pressure ratio is a linear function of separation between nozzle contours and that no additional losses are introduced in the system. The corresponding design/manufacture/assembly tools can be used to a provide low-cost/low-weight controllable propulsion systems to the small-satellite industry with no efficiency loss.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank A. Beceyro Ferran, L. De Cunto, and J. Zapata Usandivaras for their collaboration in the experimental work, Satellogic for their generous donation of the test bench, and Instituto Tecnologico de Buenos Aires for the funding granted through ITBACyT.
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Published In
Journal of Aerospace Engineering
Volume 30 • Issue 3 • May 2017
Copyright
©2016 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 9, 2016
Accepted: Aug 8, 2016
Published online: Dec 2, 2016
Published in print: May 1, 2017
Discussion open until: May 2, 2017
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