Kismet

Component basics

Title

Kismet Hybrid Engine

Description

The Kismet hybrid engine uses N2O as the oxidizer and HTPB as the fuel. The original iteration of this engine was designed between 2017 and 2018, and first flew on the team’s UXO rocket at the 2018 SAC. The current iteration of Kismet is the third in the series. Changes in this iteration include new SRAD pneumatically-actuated oxidizer vent and injector valves, a nitrous oxide fill-sensing system, and a 3D-printed nozzle. These changes were motivated by a desire to increase the apogee of the rocket, as well as the reliability of pre-launch operations. The key design parameters for the current engine design are given below:

 

Anatomy diagram

Key to anatomy diagram

  1. Vent Section

  2. Oxidizer Tank

  3. Injector Valve Section

  4. Combustion Chamber

 

Specifications

Propellants

Fuel: 90% HTPB / 10% powdered aluminum metal – 5.58 kg (12.3 lb) total

Oxidizer: N2O – 20.41 kg (45 lb)

Propellants

Fuel: 90% HTPB / 10% powdered aluminum metal – 5.58 kg (12.3 lb) total

Oxidizer: N2O – 20.41 kg (45 lb)

Injector

36-element showerhead: 25 mm length x 2 mm diameter holes. AISI 304 stainless.

Nozzle

Nozzle: Shape – 80% Bell. Throat diameter – 38 mm. Exit diameter - 83.53 mm. Chamber/Inlet diameter - 95.08 mm. Ae/At - 4.83. Convergent Angle - 35°. Divergent Angle - 18.89°.

Chamber

6-slot pseudo-finocyl grain geometry (19.05 mm slot width, 38.1 mm core diameter, 18.4 mm slot depth).

OD – 127 mm. ID – 120.65 mm. Fuel grain length – 665 mm. Fuel grain Diameter - 114.3 mm (120.65 mm with G11 liner).

Cooling: The HTPB fuel grain is cast into a 3.175 mm (⅛”) thick G11 fiberglass tube which acts as insulation to protect the aluminum combustion chamber from heat

 

Additional guidance

Launch Videos

UXO Launch: UXO - Launch at IREC 2018

SotS Launch: SotS - Launch at IREC 2019

Engine Testing Videos

Static Fire 5: Kismet - Static Fire #5

Static Fire 4: Kismet - Static Fire #4

Cold Flows 5-9:Kismet - Cold Flows #5-9

Static Fire 3: Kismet - Static Fire #3

Static Fire 2:UXO - Kismet Static Fire #2

Static Fire 1: UXO - Kismet Static Fire #1

Cold Flow 3: UXO - Cold Flow #3

Cold Flow 1 and 2:UXO - Cold Flow #1 and #2

Static Fire Operation Procedures

 

Engine Test Reports

Static Fire 5:

SF5 Test Report - Google Docs

Static Fire 2:

Static Fire 1: