Model for N2O monopropellant thruster operation

作者：Zakirov V^*; Zhang H

来源：Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers - Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering , 2008, 222(G1): 103-108.

DOI：10.1243/09544100JAERO204

• nitrous oxide
• monopropellant
• thruster
• propulsion

The current paper presents a new model for the simulation of a prospective nitrous oxide (N2O) monopropellant thruster operation. The specific impulse performance expected by the N2O monopropellant is suitable for spacecraft station-keeping and small orbit manoeuvres. This thruster is presently at a lab-scale prototype firing stage of research and development. The N2O monopropellant operation is simulated during the most important, start-up transient and steady-state, thruster modes. A good fit between experiment and simulation has been achieved during model validation. This demonstrates that the assumptions made in the model are feasible for accurate representation of the processes and phenomena occurring inside the N2O monopropellant thruster during operation so that the model is applicable for practical design problem solution. Further development of the existing model is expected to provide more detailed understanding of the decomposition process along the thruster.

• 出版日期2008-2
• 单位清华大学