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Numerical Investigation on the Influence of Alternative Needle Geometries during Insertion into Carbon-Fiber Preforms for Advanced Rocket Nozzle Manufacturing

Institute
Lehrstuhl für Carbon Composites (TUM-ED)
Type
Bachelor's Thesis / Semester Thesis / Master's Thesis /
Content
experimental / theoretical /  
Description

The performance of cryogenic liquid rocket engines can be significantly improved through the use of nozzle
extensions that increase exhaust gas velocity and overall propulsion efficiency. Among the most promising advancements
in this field are composite nozzle extensions (CNE) that offer a drastic reduction in engine mass,
which is a critical factor in aerospace engineering (Valentine, P. G. & Gradl, P. R., 2019) (Fig. 1, right). CNEs
are built based on a two-dimensional textile structure, strategically reinforced in the third dimension through
advanced carbon fiber (CF) stitching. Cutting-edge textile manufacturing techniques, such as tufting, enable the
cost-effective production of high-performance complex geometries within the aerospace field (Fig. 2).


Needle and thread breakage limit the reliability of the tufting process in space applications. The aim of this work
is to extend an existing numerical model to predict the penetration forces of various needle geometries piercing
through layers of CF preform. Some model parameters need to be determined through standard experiments.
The scope of this work can be adjusted according to the type of the thesis.

 

Research focus of the thesis

  • Literature research and familiarization with the existing numerical model of the tufting process
  • Integration of various needle geometries into the existing Abaqus model
  • Conduction of standard experiments for model parameter determination
  • Extension of the model with the experimentally determined parameters
  • Discussion, comparison and documentation of the results
Requirements

Requirements

  • Structured and thorough work attitude
  • Interest and knowledge about carbon-fiber reinforced plastics
  • Experience with FEA software (Abaqus) is beneficial
  • Experience with the programming language Python is beneficial
  • Experience with CAD software such as Autodesk Inventor
  • Excellent knowledge of German or English language
Possible start
sofort
Contact
Shima Norouzi, M.Sc.
Room: 5504.01.407
Phone: +49 89 289 15757
shima.norouzitum.de
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