Experimental Study of a Reacting Mixing Zone Generated by High Wall Injection in a Duct Flow

Abstract

In this work we develop an experimental approach to determine the influence of flow characteristics on the burning of solids (auto-extinguishable propellants) inside a hybrid rocket motor. An experimental device utilizing gaseous mixtures which simulates real conditions as closely as possible (high blowing mass transport at the wall) was used to characterize the main flow as a function of geometric and aerodynamic parameters. At first the isothermal case was studied to explore the mixing zone. In a second step a diffusion flame was stabilized to separate the influence of aerodynamics from that of combustion. These results underline the parameters having a preponderant influence on the burning and stabilization of a flame in such a combustion chamber.