Transient Pressure Analysis and Verification Testing for the Micro-satellite Technology Experiment (MiTEx) Upper Stage Propulsion System

摘要

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) designed the Upper Stage bi-propellant liquid propulsion system for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) MiTEx flight demonstration mission. This pressurized propellant system primed an evacuated circular manifold and thruster branches from two isolated propellant sources. The design team combined computational transient flow analyses with prototype manifold testing to retire the risk of surge pressures exceeding component pressure limits that could jeopardize mission success. Initial experimental efforts evaluated fluid type and orifice use and placement to validate analytical estimates of transient pressures caused by manifold priming during spacecraft activation. Subsequent experimental efforts evaluated a flight replica system at the minimum and maximum anticipated launch pressures using water. This paper documents the analytical and experimental results and their correlation.