TEST SPECIMEN DESIGN AND MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUE FOR INVESTIGATION OF HEAT TRANSFER PROCESSES IN COOLING CHANNELS OF ROCKET ENGINES UNDER REAL THERMAL CONDITIONS

摘要

The main goal of the work presented was the development of a test specimen for the investigation of the thermal efficiency of cooling channels with different aspect ratios (height-to-width-ratio). A cylindrical combustion chamber segment was designed, divided into four circumferential sections, each containing a different cooling channel geometry. The test segment has been implemented in a liquid hydrogen cooled, experimental combustion chamber. In addition to the common calorimetric technique for determining the global heat transfer, the thermal field was measured by 80 thermocouples, which were mounted in the channel fins. With inverse temperature field methods it is possible to characterise the heat transfer behaviour in cross sections at various axial positions in the channel. The test specimen was used for investigations at the European Research and Technology Test Facility P8 which enables representative liquid rocket engine operating conditions.