Theoretical prediction of regression rates in swirl-injection hybrid rocket engines

¹ University of Tokyo, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics 3-5-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara 252-5210, Japan
² Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Institute of Space and Astronautical Science 3-5-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara 252-5210, Japan

Abstract

The authors theoretically and analytically predict what times regression rates of swirl injection hybrid rocket engines increase higher than the axial injection ones by estimating heat flux from boundary layer combustion to the fuel port. The schematic of engines is assumed as ones whose oxidizer is injected from the opposite side of the nozzle such as ones of Yuasa et al. propose. To simplify the estimation, we assume some hypotheses such as three-dimensional (3D) axisymmetric flows have been assumed. The results of this prediction method are largely consistent with Yuasa's experiments data in the range of high swirl numbers.