Response Surface Based Design Optimization of a Low-Pressure Microresistojet's Heat Exchanger

A Low-Pressure Micro-resistojet (LPM) is a type of in-space electrothermal propulsion system for satellites that works by heating low-pressure (50 to 300 Pa) fluid flowing through microchannels/slots (typically <1 mm diameter) using resistive heating elements like thin-film Molybdenum. This thesis delineates a response surface based method to...

Simulations of steady and oscillating flow in diffusers

In this thesis diffuser performance will be simulated with computational fluid dynamics, which will be done with the program Ansys Fluent. The expanding geometry creates an adverse pressure gradient and under certain conditions there will also be separation.<br/><br/>At first a relative simple simulation will be done of a one-directional...