Development of a metal-powder fuel for a novel in-space propulsion technology

该研究项目力求利用计算流体动力学工具预测雾化金属粉末燃烧的行为，以开发一种新的空间推进技术。 预测建模将使概念验证的开发成为可能，并加快Columbiad将该技术推向市场的开发时间。 作为这项工作的一部分，将解决三个科学挑战：（1）湍流中微米和纳米颗粒的注入和分散预测;（2）由于纳米热反应引起的热释放;（3）雾化的亚铁雾化颗粒的感应加热。这些尚未解决的科学问题是该发动机技术发展的核心。为了解决这些科学问题，我们将扩展现有计算工具的开发，以解释这些多物理和多尺度问题中涉及的额外物理。解决这些问题的方法是：（一）确定基本的物理机制（例如，雾化颗粒的湍流传输）;（二）使用或开发具有适当保真度的数学模型，以捕捉所确定的物理机制（燃烧机制、感应加热等）; (iii)模拟代表性设置，以表征所需的工程特征（例如，纳米颗粒的混合、注射系统等）;及（iv）后处理、推断及理解所产生的结果。将从步骤（iv）中收集对技术开发有用的工程见解。

The research project seeks to use tools in computational fluids dynamics to predict the behaviour of aerosolized metal powder combustion for the development of a novel in-space propulsion technology. The predictive modelling will enable the development of a proof of concept and accelerate Columbiad's development time to bring this technology to market. Three scientific challenges will be addressed as part of this work: (1) injection and dispersion prediction of micro- and nanoparticles in turbulent flows; (2) heat release due to nanothermite reaction; (3) induction heating of aerosolized, ferrous aerosolized particles. These unresolved scientific issues lie at the heart of the technological development for this engine. To address these scientific questions, we will be extending the development of our existing computational tools to account for the additional physics involved in these multi-physics and multi-scale problems. The methodology to tackle these problems is the (i) identification of the underlying physical mechanism (e.g. turbulent transport of aerosolized particles); (ii) use or development a mathematical model, with appropriate fidelity, to capture the identified physics (combustion mechanism, induction heating etc.); (iii) simulation of a representative setup to characterize the desired engineering features (e.g. mixing of nanoparticles, injection system etc.); and, (iv) post-process, infer and understand the results generated. The engineering insight useful to the technology development will be gleaned from step (iv).