Experiment and numerical investigation on internal ballistic characteristics of L-type impulse thruster

The impulse thruster exhibits the advantages of the simplistic structure and rapid response speed. It is often used for the attitude adjustment and orbit control of the aircraft and space vehicle. In order to study the internal ballistic variation law and the flow characteristics of the gunpowder gas, the interior working process of the L-type impulse thruster was investigated by the numerical simulation and experimental verification. First, an internal ballistic test was designed and conducted, and the change process of the thrust and pressure over time was measured, and the feasibility and rationality of the impulse thruster design were verified. Second, a three-dimensional internal ballistic model of the L-type impulse thruster including the ignition process was established. With the help of the dynamic mesh technology and secondary development capability of the user-defined function in the software Fluent, the coupling process of the propellant combustion and internal flow field change of the gunpowder gas was realized. The calculated results were in good agreement with the test data. Finally, the distribution of the pressure and velocity in the flow field was analyzed in detail, and the variation law of the thrust characteristics with the nozzle length and the expansion ratio was studied, which could provide the essential data for further optimization design research. The outcomes from this paper can offer technical means for advancing studies on the internal ballistic changing law of the L-type impulse thruster.