By Benjamin Wilkosz
Part 2, 16 February, 2005
- Terminal Velocity, part 1, 23 December, 2004
- Terminal Velocity, part 3, 27 April, 2005
- Terminal Velocity, part 4, 1 March, 2006
- Terminal Velocity, part 5, 28 April, 2006
- Terminal Velocity, part 6, 12 March, 2007
- Terminal Velocity, part 7, 9 October, 2007
Disclaimer: all liability waved! The contents of this page is presented for informational purposes only. Do not try to recreate any experiments presented in this page. The NAVRO and the author of this article cannot assume responsibility for any use readers make of this information. In The Netherlands it is forbidden by law to own this type of propellant if you do not have an exemption of the "Wet Explosieven Civiel Gebruik" (WECG).
Today I tested the new Avalon007c. Together with my brother and two friends we drove to our test location and installed the new hydraulic test bench. My friend Dominik Geisler aimed three cameras at the rocket motor, capturing thrust, the nozzle section and the whole scenery.
In order to lower the reaction time of the hydraulic load cell we heated the cell up to a 40 Degrees Celsius. After wiring up the ignition system and installing the motor system we took shelter in our car and commenced the countdown.
The motor performed very well, igniting very fast en burning quite constantly. After examining the motor no signs of erosion or damage could be found. The casing was totally intact, as the aluminium forward shielded by a stainless steel disk. The snap ring grooves proved to be very robust. The motor proved to be a 100% reusable!
Unfortunately the measurement wasn't perfect. Due to thermal expansion the rocket motor locked itself in the bearings. The bearings are made from phenol, greased with Vaseline. Although this problem was foreseen, the tolerances weren't enough for the aluminium casing during the firing. After approximately two seconds the motor got jammed in the test bench, leaving the last second of the burn "unknown". More positive is the fact that we could determine the maximum thrust, about a 1600N. Second the motor seems to operate quite constant and capable to easily deliver the aimed amount of impulse (3200Ns). During the time range, in which the test bench worked without friction, the motor delivered approximately 3100Ns. The new nozzle did a great job, boosting nozzle efficiency compared to earlier Avalon motors.
To obtain a better thrust curve a new test fire is planned for the near future.
| Some information about the Avalon007c: | |
|---|---|
| Impulse: | 3200Ns (spec. impulse of 115 sec) |
| Average Thrust: | 1400N |
| Propellant: | KNO3/dextrose 64/36 (grinded, dehydrated and vacuum casted) |
| Grains: | 5 x Bates grains |
| Ignition: | Pyrogen + 2 grains with coating |
| Casing: | Aluminium 6068-T6 |
| Safety factor: | 3,5 (incl. thermal load) |
| Kn: | 210 - 240 |
Benjamin Wilkosz
Next part: Terminal Velocity, part 3, 27 April, 2005