Nammo Westcott is a major supplier of chemical propulsion systems to key spacecraft manufacturers. Its rocket engines and thrusters serve commercial, defence and science markets. Nammo is involved in the development, production and test activities in rocket engines test services, chemical propulsion subsystems, monopropellant attitude control system thrusters and hypergolic bipropellant apogee engines.
The challenge
Nammo required a heat exchanger / intercooler that would be able to withstand the extreme temperatures generated from the firing of the rockets and to remove that heat from the generated exhaust plume to allow the vacuum pumps to reliably operate and maintain the simulated high altitude conditions. Quenching gas temperatures in excess of 2,000°C was a unique challenge and required a partner with expertise in providing first-class thermal management solutions. Nammo approached numerous companies all over the world but none, other than Reaction Engines, could provide a solution on the scale that they required.
The rocket plume intercooler core
The rocket plume intercooler
outer vacuum vessel (shell)
Creating value
Nammo Westcott is a major supplier of chemical propulsion systems to key spacecraft manufacturers. Its rocket engines and thrusters serve commercial, defence and science markets. Nammo is involved in the development, production and test activities in rocket engines test services, chemical propulsion subsystems, monopropellant attitude control system thrusters and hypergolic bipropellant apogee engines.
Technical specification
Vessel Diameter: | 1.7m |
Total Height: | 1.8m |
Total Length: | 4.5m (inc. diffuser adapter) 2.0m (ex. diffuser adapter) |
Heat exchanger core size: | 1m x 1m x 1m |
Dry Masses: Core: Main Vessel: Diffuser adapter: Total (dry) mass: Wet mass: |
810kg 1180kg 435kg 2425kg +100kg |
Inlet temperature (’shell side’): | ~2,300°C |
Outlet temperature (’shell side’): | < 50°C |
Heat Rejection: | 1.5 to 2.0 MW (depending on rocket under test) |