Open source confessions of an "Old Space" engineer.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
DMLS Chamber Version 2
Here are the specs for the redesigned version of the DMLS chamber. This project pending interest and resources. Drop me a line if you would be interested in supporting a project like this.
I got directed to this site from a post on U.Illinois' Illinois Space Society web site. Have to say it's the most entertaining late night reading I've had in a long while. I'm intensely jealous of your expertise and experience with rocket engines, not to mention impressed that you haven't blown yourself up in the process of doing your investigations.
I was left with a bunch of questions, perhaps only because I have enough engineering background that my inner space geek is intrigued and wants to get involved.
Here are the questions. Feel free to answer or say "that's proprietary and we have to make other arrangements to discuss it."
1. How much thrust does your prototype develop?
2. You're presumably sitting in a lab (ok, garage) with large tanks of liquid NO and propane. How do you plan to miniaturize that part of the rocket? And since now you have more or less unlimited quantities of both at a stable pressure, do you expect to provide external pressure to onboard tanks to maintain a steady feed to the engine, or build pumps to pressurize both?
3. I'm just getting into 3D printing and am fascinated by the fact that you were able to build a chamber this small with channels. How wide are they? What's the minimum channel size this printing method could support?
I'm interested. I want to try something like this in a rocket propelled RC airplane. You can buy small turbine engines now that go up to 50 lb thrust from several companies. But no one sells a liquid fueled rocket engine. With the possible exception of Systeme Solaire.
What's the price change if you print this in aluminum instead of steel? I'm thinking about hydrogen peroxide for the oxidizer and diesel as the fuel. The O/F ratio would be 8 or more depending on how high test peroxide is available. Aluminum is more compatible with peroxide, plus the high thermal conductivity coupled with high oxidizer flow rates should keep the chamber walls relatively cool.
Do you think this engine could ever fly? Is it light enough with enough thrust?
ReplyDeleteI got directed to this site from a post on U.Illinois' Illinois Space Society web site. Have to say it's the most entertaining late night reading I've had in a long while. I'm intensely jealous of your expertise and experience with rocket engines, not to mention impressed that you haven't blown yourself up in the process of doing your investigations.
ReplyDeleteI was left with a bunch of questions, perhaps only because I have enough engineering background that my inner space geek is intrigued and wants to get involved.
Here are the questions. Feel free to answer or say "that's proprietary and we have to make other arrangements to discuss it."
1. How much thrust does your prototype develop?
2. You're presumably sitting in a lab (ok, garage) with large tanks of liquid NO and propane. How do you plan to miniaturize that part of the rocket? And since now you have more or less unlimited quantities of both at a stable pressure, do you expect to provide external pressure to onboard tanks to maintain a steady feed to the engine, or build pumps to pressurize both?
3. I'm just getting into 3D printing and am fascinated by the fact that you were able to build a chamber this small with channels. How wide are they? What's the minimum channel size this printing method could support?
Hi i`m excited about your project.. i got similar question about fuel feed do ya use pumps or at this stage just control pressure from tanks ??
ReplyDeleteI'm interested. I want to try something like this in a rocket propelled RC airplane. You can buy small turbine engines now that go up to 50 lb thrust from several companies. But no one sells a liquid fueled rocket engine. With the possible exception of Systeme Solaire.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the price change if you print this in aluminum instead of steel? I'm thinking about hydrogen peroxide for the oxidizer and diesel as the fuel. The O/F ratio would be 8 or more depending on how high test peroxide is available. Aluminum is more compatible with peroxide, plus the high thermal conductivity coupled with high oxidizer flow rates should keep the chamber walls relatively cool.
ReplyDelete