Research on combustion instability and application to solid propellant rocket motors. II.

Abstract

Unstable motions must be anticipated as a possible problem in solid-propellant rocket motors; the characteristics of an instability depend primarily on the geometry of the motor and composition of the propellant. It is the purpose of this paper to review mainly the current state of analyses of combustion instability in solid-propellant rocket motors, but appropriate measurements and observations are cited. The work discussed has become increasingly important, both for the interpretation of laboratory data and for predicting the transient behavior of disturbances in full-scale motors. Two central questions are addressed: linear stability and nonlinear behavior. Several classes of problems are discussed as special cases of a general approach to the analysis of combustion instability. Application to motors, and particularly the limitations presently understood, are stressed.