A continuous flow liquid propellant strand burner for high pressure monopropellant and bipropellant combustion...

A combustion assembly capable of continuously burning monopropellant and bipropellant liquid fuels at pressures up to 80 bars (1145 psig) was designed and constructed. The assembly is based on a liquid propellant strand burner where a manifold maintains small positive differential pressures on the fuel to maintain a steady supply into the reaction vessel. Optical ports enable direct visualization of the flame and will allow for future spectroscopic and imaging studies of the flame. The strand burner design was tested using nitromethane with both air and inert environments in the reaction vessel. Continuous combustion was sustained for almost 8 min in air (34 bars/500 psig) and more than 6 min in N₂ (70 bars/1000 psig). A unique outcome from the initial testing of this device is the ability to ignite liquid nitromethane in an inert environment without the use of a pilot flame started in air.