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Seal testing of large diameter rocket motorsThis investigative program examines leakage testing of elastomeric O-ring seals for a solid rocket casing and provides direction towards an improved nondestructive postassembly test. It also details test equipment for the Space Shuttle systems solid rocket boosters (SRB). The results are useful to designers of hardware for pressure containment vessels which use O-ring seals. Using several subscale seal and groove configuration test fixtures equipped with either two or three O-ring seals in series, seal integrity is investigated with both a pressure decay and flowmeter methods. Both types of test equipment adequately detect the practical range of expected seal leak rates of 1 to 0.0001 sccs. The flowmeter leak test equipment appears to reduce testing time substantially. Limited seal leakage testing is performed on full-sized rocket motor segment seals, a pre-Challenger short stack, providing comparison of bore seals to test specimen bore and face seals. The conclusions are that seal reliability, verified via a performance pressure test, can be affected by temperature, quantity of grease, test pressure, and seal pressure load direction. Potential seal failure scenarios including contamination, seal damage, and sealing surface damage are discussed. Recommendations are made for an improved test procedure.
Document ID
19910052781
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Moore, N. B.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Hellums, John W.
(Cameron Offshore Engineering Houston, TX, United States)
Bechtel, Thomas
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Kittredge, Ken
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Crossfield, Craig
(Teledyne Brown Engineering Huntsville, AL, United States)
Date Acquired
August 15, 2013
Publication Date
April 1, 1991
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Propulsion and Power
Volume: 7
ISSN: 0748-4658
Subject Category
Mechanical Engineering
Accession Number
91A37404
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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