Characterization of a GH2/GO2 Combustor for Hot Plume Wind Tunnel Testing

Kurzfassung

After entry into operations of the newly implemented GH2/GO2 supply facility for hot plume testing at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, facility operation in combination with the preliminary GH2/GO2 rocket combustion chamber is being characterized in order to qualify the test environment for future wind tunnel tests. The combustion chamber will be implemented into a generic rocket model to generate a realistic hot exhaust jet for interaction experiments with the transonic ambient flow, provided by the Vertical Test Section Cologne (VMK). Two reference configurations, that will be subject to investigation within the wind tunnel campaign, are characterized in the present paper by the facility operating parameters, combustion chamber pressure, and wall temperature distribution. An evaluation of the pressure fluctuation amplitudes, together with spectral analyzes is used for a classification of the state of combustion. The result is a summary of the different test cases with a discussion of their qualification for wind tunnel testing and an outlook on possible measures to extend the operating range for an enhanced range of similarity parameters.