Performance Comparisons of Underexpanded Orifices and DeLaval Nozzles at Low Reynolds Numbers

The popularity of micropropulsion system development has led to renewed interest in the determination of propulsive properties of orifice flows since micronozzle expansions may suffer high viscous losses at low pressure operation. The mass flow and relative thrust for an under expanded orifice is measured as a function of orifice stagnation pressure from 0.1 to 3.5 Torr. Nitrogen, argon, and helium propellant gases are passed through a 1.0 mm diameter orifice with a wall thickness of 0.015 mm Near-free molecule, transitional and continuum flow regimes are studied. The relative thrust is determined by a novel thrust stand designed primarily for low operating pressure, micropropulsion systems. It is shown that the thrust indications obtained from the stand are a function of the facility background pressure, and corrections are made to determine the indicated thrust for a zero background pressure with nitrogen as propellant. Highly repeatable (within 1%) indicated thrust measurements are obtained in the thrust range from 5 to 500 Micro-N.
Prepared in collaboration with Univ. of Southern California at Los Angeles.