Chugging Instability of H2O2 Monopropellant Thrusters with Reactor Aspect Ratio and Pressures

Among the three types of instabilities, the low-frequency instability (chugging instability) was experimentally investigated with respect to the chamber pressure and aspect ratio (L=D) of catalytic reactors in a monopropellant thruster. ThreeH2O2 thrusterswere used, and two parameters were found to be the dominant factors that generated a chugging instability of the order of several tens of hertz. Ahigh chamber pressure and lowL=D values (lowpressure drop across the catalyst bed) were preferable for reducing pressure oscillation inside the reaction chamber. In addition, it was found that these two parameters were not independent but coupled; therefore, the point where chugging instability occurred varied slightly depending on the interaction between these parameters.

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