Investigation of Linear-Type Aerospike Nozzle with Sidewalls using NO-LIF and PSP

An aerospike nozzle has been expected as a candidate for an engine of reusable space shuttle to respond to growing demand for rocket-launching and its cost reduction. It has been reported that sidewalls of linear-type aerospike nozzles can suppress undesirable sideward flow expansion. In this study, the flow field around the linear-type aerospike nozzle with sidewalls and the nozzle without sidewalls are compared to confirm the effect of the sidewalls experimentally. Laser induced fluorescence is used to visualize and analyze flow fields around the nozzles. PSP is also applied to measurement of pressure distribution on the nozzle surfaces. The nozzles are set into a vacuum chamber to achieve larger pressure ratios PR (P s: source pressure in a reservoir, P a: ambient pressure in a vacuum chamber) because jet structures are affected mainly by pressure ratios.