A practical investigation into optimising port geometries to stabilise mixture ratios in hybrid rocket motors via additive manufacturing

Master thesis (2024)

Authors

R.F.A. Wassenaar Aerospace Engineering

Contributors

B.V.S. Jyoti Space Systems Egineering (mentor)
Faculty
Aerospace Engineering, Aerospace Engineering
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Published Date

18-07-2024

Language

English

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Faculty

Aerospace Engineering

Abstract

Due to numerous disadvantages exhibited by hybrid rocket motors (HRMs) as a propulsive technology, adoption has not been wide-spread outside of amateurs and student rocketry teams. However, in recent years, additive manufacturing has revitalised this propulsive technology. This thesis aims to use this technology to overcome some of the disadvantages exhibited with HRMs.

By choosing regressive burn profile port geometries, shifting of the mixture ratio can be minimised, meaning parameters such as specific impulse to be more constant and – in the future – be engineered to operate at its peak efficiency. A multi-port geometry was also chosen to overcome HRMs' slower regression rate.

A practical investigation was carried out to determine the extent these changes affect the performance of HRMs compared to simulations, especially in the domain of the mixture ratio. The results show this technology to have potential, however certain testing limitations need to be overcome before a definitive conclusion can be drawn.