Departments >> Space Engineering and Rocketry > Research

The Department has been striving for excellence by pursuing R & D work in emerging areas of   Aerospace and Rocket Technologies. It is worth while to mention that the Department has successfully completed sponsored R & D Projects from premier Agencies like UGC, AICTE, DST, Ministry of HRD, ISRO, DRDO, AR & DB (Min. of Defence) etc.

The Department has also been recognized under Special Assistance Programme (SAP) of UGC and has been working on Development of a Cryogenic Propulsion System. The Department has also been supported by DST under FIST (Fund for Improvement of S & T Infrastructure) to augment Propellant Technology and Combustion Facility.

Student Exchange Opportunities: 

Many Students of the Department have performed research work at various reputed organizations like . . .

• Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre and Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, (ISRO)
• Defence Research & Development Laboratry, Hyderabad
• High Energy Material Research Laboratory Pune (DRDO) and
• National Aerospace Laboratory, Bangalore

The notable current research activities in the Department include:

• Development of Hybrid Rocket Propulsion Systems

• Droplet Combustion Studies

• Development of High Regression Rate Hybrid Fuel

• Combustion Study of Hybrid Fuels with Nitrous Oxide Oxidizer

• Study on Premixed Flame

• Commissioning of Solid and Liquid Propulsion Lab

• Development of (solid-liquid) Hybrid Rocket Setup

• Thermal Analysis of High Energy Materials

• Slender Body Aerodynamics at High Angles of Attack at Subsonic Speed

• Studies on Reusable Launch Vehicle and Delta/ Double Delta Wing at Subsonic Speed

• Cavity and Protrusion Flow Field Studies at Supersonic Speeds

• Studies on Spiked Blunt Bodies at Supersonic Mach No.

• Supersonic Air- Intake Studies

• Development of Compressible Navier-Stokes Code

Current Research Activities:

Propulsion:

1. Development of Pyro-MEMS Device for space applications

Pyro-MEMS devices for controlled energy release for micro-thrusters and micro gas generators is being developed in collaboration with Vikram Sarabhai Space Research Centre, Thiruvanthapuram.

2. Atomization of Gel Propellants using impinging and air-blast type injectors

New approach is being experimented to atomize gel propellants using different type of injection systems to achieve desired mixing and efficient combustion.

3. High Shear Rheometry for liquefying metallized gel propellants Several compositions of metallized gel propellants are being subjected to high Shear rates (>106sec-1) to study the non-Newtonian flow behaviour of these complex systems. The results are expected to provide vital inputs for achieving higher combustion efficiency in rocket engines.

4. Synthesis and characterization on Nano-catalyst for Composite Solid Propellants.

Novel Catalysts containg Cu-Co-O have been Synthesized and effective test trials with HTPB-AP based Composite Solid Propellants have been done.

5. Development of fast regression rate fuel for Hybrid Rocket Propulsion

A new hybrid fuel system consisting of HTPB-Paraffin Wax has been studied using different injectors and high regression rates have been achieved.

Aerodynamics:

Flow field investigation on supersonic air intakes: Tests are performed at different supersonic Mach numbers to investigate the start/unstart characteristics of air intakes at different off design conditions.

Drag reduction on blunt tipped bodies at supersonic speed using spikes: Different shapes and sizes of spiked tipped blunt bodies are tested at supersonic speeds to estimate the optimum performance of typical spikes. The drag force and moments are measured and stability characteristics are obtained.

High angle of attack aerodynamics of slender bodies: Aerodynamics bodies with large L/D’s have a typical characteristics of generation of side forces at moderate to high angle of attack. The estimations and alleviation of such loads are important and done in the existing subsonic wind tunnel facility of the Department.

Flow characteristics on delta and double delta wing structure: Subsonic flow field investigation on delta and double delta wing planforms are tested to understand the features of high angle of attack response. The vertical structures and its breakdown with subsequent impact on the overall load of the body are estimated.

Development of Navier-Stokes code to simulate flows over cylinder: Computational fluid dynamic gives a complete flow simulation with enormous amount of data around the body of interest which can not be visualised through any other methods. These data supplement the experimental observations and gives the details of flow to better understand the features.

PhD Students:

Aerodynamics

1. Pawan Kumar Karn

 -- Research topic: Analysis of steady and unsteady flow over axisymmetric body at subsonic speed

2. Md. Gulam Sarwar (PhD/SER/10053/2016)

 -- Research topic: Studies over blunt nosed body with spike at supersonic speed

- Guide: Prof. Sudip Das; Co-guide: Dr. Priyank Kumar

3. Lavala Srinivas Rao

 -- Research topic: Studies of supersonic free jets

Rocket Propulsion

1. Mengu Dinesh (PHD/SER/10052/2016)

 -- Research topic: Studies on regression rate and combustion instabilities of hybrid rocket motor

 -- Guide: Dr. Rajiv Kumar

Seed Money Scheme:

Please visit this link for information.

R&D Projects:

Ongoing Projects:

Details of ongoing projects can be found here.

Completed Projects: