3D Design and Manufacturing Analysis of Liquid Propellant Rocket Engine (LPRE) Nozzle

摘要

The innovation and development of 3D printing technology has benefitted aerospace industries in the design and fabrication of parts and model structure of aerospace products such as building rocket parts from engines to propellant tanks. The structure can be created with little or no generation of industrial waste, thereby reducing overall cost and shortening the production time. Morgan State University (MSU) has been awarded a grant from BASE 11 for building a rocketry program. The MSU students have an opportunity to participate in the design and fabrication of rockets. This project seeks to adopt the 3D printing method to design a liquid propellant rocket engine (LPRE) nozzle. A 3D model of the rocket engine nozzle was developed using a CAD software (AutoCAD and Autodesk Inventor) and a prototype was printed with LPA filaments using a 3D printer. The design geometry specifications and flow conditions were simulated to determine the performance of the LPRE nozzle. The overall design specifications and investigated Ni-based superalloys materials contained in this research findings will be utilized in the overall ongoing design of liquid propellant rocket program awarded to the MSU Rocketry Team.