| Test results from a rocket turbine test model, called the Oxidizer Technology Turbine Rig (OTTR), are discussed in this thesis. The turbine was designed to support the development of advanced turbines for future liquid rocket engines. It is a highly-loaded, single-stage, liquid-oxygen, pump-drive turbine that uses inlet and exit volutes to provide optimum performance in a compact configuration. The whole system includes an inlet volute, a turbine, two exit volutes (circular and square), and a diffuser for each exit volute. Performance evaluation is based on the aerodynamic design point (ADP) and off design points for both the circular exit volute test and the square exit volute test. This thesis focuses on the discussion of both the aerodynamic design point and off-design points for the inlet volute, exit volute, and diffuser for both the circular exit volute and the square exit volute tests. The performance results include pressure measurements for the volute/diffuser analyses (total pressure and static pressure), system pressure ratios, and system efficiency calculations. Uncertainty estimates for the measured variables and calculated results are also included. The objective of this work is to evaluate the OTTR test model, particularly the inlet volute, exit volute, and diffuser performance as well as the system performance for both tests. These results can be combined with the turbine data previously analyzed to create a comprehensive data set for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code validation. This data set can then be used to improve design and performance predictions for similar systems. |
