GRAPHITE NOZZLE TESTING IN A SOLID PROPELLANT VARIABLE PARAMETER ROCKET ENGINE.

Although many candidate nozzle materials have been test fired in rocket static test engines, the majority of these tests have never been correlated because of lack of an established basis for comparison. In view of the complex nature of erosion, no acceptable substitute has been found for firing tests in solid propellant engines. A static test engine capable of simply, systematically, and economically firing nozzles has been developed for the purpose of providing extensive data on nozzle erosion over a wide range of operating conditions. This data will provide the basis for a better understanding of nozzle erosion mechanisms. Initial tests with this engine indicate the feasibility of testing small graphite rocket nozzles at discrete pressure intervals up to 1600 psig and burning times up to 65 seconds. Author