Mascotte, a Test Bench for Cryogenic Propellant Combustion Studies Operation with Oxygen/Methane
Since its first version, V01 (oxygen/hydrogen at low pressure), the bench has undergone a number of changes to its latest version, V04 (oxygen/methane at high pressure). After the acceptance tests of this new version, the fire tests began with methane at ambient temperature and increasing progressively pressure from 1 to 60 bar. The 60 bar pressure is supercritical for both oxygen and methane.
After this qualification phase, the first operational tests were run with liquid methane under typical operating conditions of a gas generator at 60 bar.
Gas temperature measurements were performed at the chamber exit (just before the nozzle convergent) using intrusive thermocouples while the flame was simultaneously observed using several optical diagnostics: high-speed camera synchronized to a copper vapor laser, imaging of OH and CH radicals.
Laser diagnostics and temperature measurements
For LOX/GCH4, we see no fundamental difference with LOX/H2 flame. For LOX/LCH4, though, the structure is entirely different.
In visible light images, as well as in the radical emission images, the flame expansion angle can be seen to be much greater, and streaks appear denoting the presence of two liquid jets separated by a reaction zone and the existence of two flame fronts.
