Integrated Baffle Combustion Chamber for Vibration Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cylindrical combustion chambers in rocket engines are susceptible to high-frequency vibrations, leading to overheating and pressure fluctuations due to transverse vibrations, which existing solutions like baffles or coaxial injection elements attempt to mitigate but at increased manufacturing complexity and cost.
Innovation Solution
A combustion chamber section with a cylindrical body featuring an integrated baffle formed in one piece, which simplifies the injection head structure and includes coolant channels for active cooling, reducing the need for additional components and manufacturing complexity, and can be manufactured using a layer construction process like 3D printing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If baffles are arranged on the head plate to counteract transverse vibrations, then vibration suppression is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The guide plate is merged with the combustion chamber body as a single integral component, eliminating the need for separate baffle attachments. This integration simplifies the overall structure while maintaining vibration suppression functionality, as the guide plate's geometric features inherently dampen transverse vibrations without requiring additional baffles on the head plate.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide plate serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a structural support element, a vibration damping component, and a flow guidance element. By combining these functions into a single component, the design reduces device complexity while achieving reliable vibration suppression across the combustion chamber.
2Reliability
If coaxial injection elements with central sleeve body are used to reduce vibrations, then transverse vibration reduction is improved, but manufacturing complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The guide plate is integrated directly into the combustion chamber body structure, eliminating the need for separate injection plate assemblies and complex coaxial injection elements. This merging of components significantly simplifies manufacturing processes and reduces production time while maintaining combustion stability through the guide plate's vibration-damping geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The vibration suppression function is extracted from the complex coaxial injection element structure and transferred to the guide plate's geometric design. This allows the injection plate to be simplified or eliminated entirely, as the guide plate's shape and positioning alone provide the necessary vibration damping without requiring complex multi-component injection systems.
3Ease of manufacture
If cylindrical combustion chamber configuration is used, then manufacturing ease is improved, but susceptibility to high-frequency vibrations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide plate introduces localized structural features into the cylindrical combustion chamber that target specific vibration modes. By positioning the guide plate at critical locations and designing it with specific geometric characteristics, the system maintains the manufacturing advantages of a cylindrical shape while locally addressing the harmful transverse vibrations through the guide plate's dampening properties.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The integrated baffle design effectively dampens transverse vibrations and enhances cooling, reducing manufacturing costs and complexity while maintaining combustion stability and longevity of the combustion chamber components.
Implementation Method 1
coolant channels for active cooling
Implementation Method 2
cooling is necessary, especially in the area of the hot gas walls
Implementation Method 3
The integrated baffle design effectively dampens transverse vibrations
Data Source
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AI summary
A combustion chamber section (110) for a combustion chamber (100) for a rocket engine (10) is described, wherein the combustion chamber section (110) comprises a combustion chamber body (120) enclosing a combustion chamber volume and in which coolant channels (130) are arranged, and at least one guide plate (140) formed integrally with the combustion chamber body (120) and projecting from the combustion chamber body (120) into the interior of the combustion chamber. The at least one guide plate (140) comprises at least one coolant channel (133-135) which is fluidically connected to at least one of the coolant channels (130) in the combustion chamber body (120). Furthermore, a layer-by-layer manufacturing process for producing such a combustion chamber section is described.