Liquid Rocket, Injector-Flow Modifying Devices

The innovation proposed herein consists of means to rapidly and easily vary the flow and the atomization characteristics of liquid rocket injectors. Since performance, stability, and chamber wall heat flux are strongly dependent upon injector flow characteristics, this will provide a means to rapidly and readily vary these parameters either during development tests, between tests, and perhaps even in flight hardware. By appropriately adjusting these flow modifying devices it will be possible to provide the highest performance while still maintaining a satisfactory stability margin. This will greatly reduce the cost of engine development and improve performance. The objective of this effort is to determine the feasibility of this new approach. This Phase I program will assess the various means proposed herein to modify injector flow and, if appropriate, prepare for testing of the most promising. If successful, this new approach should find application in nearly every new liquid rocket injector development program and perhaps every injector. This concept could also find application in hybrid rockets where it could be used to quickly vary injector flows to maximize performance as the solid propellant is burnt away.