Combustion Characteristics of Vat-Photopolymerized Fuels with a Spiral Star Port for Hybrid Propulsion

Despite hybrid rocket motors offering distinct advantages over solid or liquid rocket motors, their low regression rate and insufficient combustion efficiency remain significantly unimproved. This study focuses on the effects of the helix lead on the regression rate distribution and combustion efficiency of vat-polymerized fuel grains with a spiral star port for a hybrid rocket. Both experimental and numerical investigations were conducted to study the combustion characteristics and regression rate distribution of three-dimensional (3D) print grains. Spiral star grains with varying helix leads of 60, 90, and 120 mm were fabricated using light-curing 3D printing technology. A 3D simulation model was developed to obtain the temperature distribution, species mass distribution, and combustion efficiency. Furthermore, firing tests were performed on a two-dimensional radial hybrid combustion test stand to measure the regression rate. Digital image processing of computed tomography images was used to determine the regression rate. Simulation results indicated that the spiral star grain port helps to improve the combustion efficiency compared with those seen with round tube and straight star port grains. With an increase in the axial distance, the flame zone gradually shrinks, and the smaller the helix lead, the faster the shrinkage. At a mass flow rate of 1.50 g/s for oxygen, the regression rate of the spiral star grains is significantly higher than that of the straight star grain and the conventional round tubular grains, and the regression rate gradually increases with a decrease in the helix lead. This finding is expected to solve the problem of the low regression rate of solid fuels with spiral star pore-shaped grains prepared by the light-curing 3D printing method.