An experimental investigation of the effect of test-cell pressure on the performance of resistojetsThe effect of test-cell pressure on the performance of two resistojets was investigated. Tests were conducted in a vacuum facility at pressures ranging from 0.000043 to 0.54 torr for two resistojet configurations: a laboratory model and an engineering model for the Space Station. The tests showed that for each thruster there was a decline in performance when tested in vacuum pressures above 0.001 torr. Measurements were made of surface temperature, thrust, and exit-plane pitot pressure over the range of test-cell pressures. From these measurements, the decline in performance of the laboratory-model resistojet at higher cell pressures was attributed to heat losses due to convection. For the engineering-model resistojet, the decline in performance was found to be a combination of heat loss and an effect of cell pressure on the nozzle flow.
Document ID
19880057593
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Manzella, D. H. (NASA Lewis Research Center; Sverdrup Technology, Inc. Cleveland, OH, United States)
Penko, P. F. (NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
De Witt, K. J. (NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Keith, T. G., Jr. (Toledo, University OH, United States)