Experimental correction of combustion gas properties of AN-based composite solid propellants used for turbo-pump starter

Solid propellant gas generators play a role as a turbo-pump starter in liquid propellant propulsion systems by supplying pressurized gas to power turbines for engine start. Among the required combustion gas properties provided by solid propellant gas generators, the combustion gas temperature should not exceed a certain temperature which may damage the turbine blades. For such purposes, phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (AN)-based propellants have been widely used with a low combustion temperature. However, gas generator propellants with ammonium nitrate have historically exhibited incomplete combustion resulting in increased flame temperatures differing significantly from equilibrium values. In consideration of design requirements, an engineering model of solid propellant gas generator was manufactured using the combustion gas properties calculated by a chemical equilibrium code and then hot-fire tests were performed. Procedures for the correction of $T_0$, k and $M_w$ of the combustion gas from the experimental results are introduced and the following effects on the design of the solid propellant gas generator are presented. From the experimental correction of the combustion gas properties, it is found that the amount of the propellant could be reduced while providing the same amount of available power to the turbines and consequently, the size of the gas generator could also be decreased.