Development of a heat transfer test rig for finding heat transfer characteristics of liquid methane
Abstract
Most large scale rocket engines use a regeneratively cooled system to cool the rocket engine using either the rocket fuel or oxidizer. The use of liquid methane as a rocket fuel is an emerging technology proving to have several advantages over current rocket fuels. However, liquid methane is lacking the extensive research as a rocket fuel compared to highly used rocket fuels like liquid hydrogen. A heat transfer test rig was built with the goal to characterize the heat transfer characteristics of liquid methane as it passes through a heated channel. The development of the test rig underwent considerations designed to replicate the conditions in a regenerative cooling channel. Experiments were first completed using liquid nitrogen in vacuum resulting in temperature data which show evidence of boiling in the channel causing vapor lock.
Subject Area
Engineering|Aerospace engineering|Mechanical engineering
Recommended Citation
Flores, Sergio, "Development of a heat transfer test rig for finding heat transfer characteristics of liquid methane" (2011). ETD Collection for University of Texas, El Paso. AAI1503717.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/dissertations/AAI1503717