The influence of liquefied natural gas composition on its behavior as a coolant

University of Rome “La Sapienza” Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica e Aerospaziale 18 Via Eudossiana, Roma 00184, Italy

Abstract

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is a suitable propellant to be used, together with liquid oxygen as oxidizer, in a liquid rocket engine, because of possible advantages with respect to hydrogen in specific applications. Often approximated as pure methane, LNG is a mixture of methane, other heavier hydrocarbons and nitrogen. If LNG is to be used in a regeneratively cooled liquid rocket engine, the knowledge of the thermodynamic and heat transfer characteristics when it flows in the cooling channels is of primary importance. The aim of the present work is to understand how the composition of LNG can influence the flow in the cooling channels. A parametric study is carried out considering different LNG compositions and heat flux levels. Attention is devoted to the pressure drop and cooling capabilities, which are the aspects that have to be controlled in a regenerative cooling system.