Propellant Management Devices

The CMD group is developing propellant management devices for spacecraft propulsion systems under Air Force and NASA funding. One application utilizes the high temperature strength, thermal shock resistance and lightweight of silicon nitride ceramics for liquid rocket engine fuel injectors. The CMD group is working in conjunction with TA&T's subsidiary company, Ceramic Composites, Inc. to integrate the ceramic injector with a ceramic composite combustion chamber/nozzle for an ultralightweight, ultra high temperature rocket engine. The figure shows a cold test of an early ceramic fuel injector.

Prototype Ceramic Rocket Engine Fuel Injector

The CMD group is developing ceramic high voltage isolators for high power xenon-based electric propulsion systems used in space transportation. The ceramic isolators must standoff a high voltage difference between the reservoir end of the fuel line and the ion engine. The CMD group in collaboration with Aerojet Corp (Redmond, WA) is developing novel ceramic isolators with very long path lengths folded into a compact volume. The isolator shown in the figure has an overall length of 0.5" and a path length of 41". The device in the figure was cross-sectioned to reveal the folded flow path.

Alumina High Voltage Isolator for a Ion Engine

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