Found Aerotech Hybrid or Alpha Hybrids system want to buy

[dknight]

Looking to buy an I to j class Aerotech Hybrid or Alpha Hybrids system. Systems are for a university rocket team I mentor looking to start doing work with hybrids. Thanks.

Doug Knight
TRA #10294 L2

 

[mikec]

Why those two? Aerotech has been OOP for many years, Alpha is also OOP.

Contrail would seem to be the best choice for hybrids as all the other vendors are either dead or moribund, AFAIK.

 

[dknight]

Looking to do hybrids with prefilled oxidizer. From a ground support, ease of use with students and second stage intended use perspective, this type of system seems to be the best place to start. Over time the goal is to design our own hybrid motors.

Doug K

 

[mikec]

Looking to do hybrids with prefilled oxidizer.

Sure, but since no one is left who makes these, you'll probably find it difficult to obtain hardware and even harder to find reloads. But maybe I'm wrong.

 

[3stoogesrocketry]

RCS carries 54mm and 98mm hybrid forward bulkhead setups .

 

[dhbarr]

RCS carries 54mm and 98mm hybrid forward bulkhead setups .

This does not include the injector plate, although the data pack does give enough detail to replicate.

 

[3stoogesrocketry]

This does not include the injector plate, although the data pack does give enough detail to replicate.

Exactly what I was hoping they ( the school ) would use. Replicating the parts are easy.

 

[dknight]

Sure, but since no one is left who makes these, you'll probably find it difficult to obtain hardware and even harder to find reloads. But maybe I'm wrong.

The plan is to use these systems as "go bys" to get the students up to speed on how these systems work, safety guidelines, and troubleshooting. Then the plan is to design our own. Currently have plans for 3D printing fuel grains and a igniter/burst disk system. Have ideas for the injector but that is not as developed.

 

[mikec]

I know little about hybrids beyond reading and observing the prep of a dozen or so flights by the one guy in our club who still flies them (Hypertek, mostly.) But I'm not sure what the safety implications of prefilled tanks are. It sure seems more convenient than having to fill remotely, but on the other hand you are far away from the tank in the remote fill case. I presume the flight tanks of a prefilled system are heavier than the equivalent weight of a fill-at-the-pad system (especially monotube.)

 

[dhbarr]

I know little about hybrids beyond reading and observing the prep of a dozen or so flights by the one guy in our club who still flies them (Hypertek, mostly.) But I'm not sure what the safety implications of prefilled tanks are. It sure seems more convenient than having to fill remotely, but on the other hand you are far away from the tank in the remote fill case. I presume the flight tanks of a prefilled system are heavier than the equivalent weight of a fill-at-the-pad system (especially monotube.)

They are generally heavier, yes. Note that nothing prevents us from remote filling the flight bottle before assembly, it is merely not mandatory on these type systems.

 

[mikec]

With the Aerotech system, don't you have to physically thread the filled flight tank onto the rest of the motor? https://www.aerotech-rocketry.com/c...tructions/RMS-Hybrid/54mm_hyb_in_man_6-98.pdf

I presume handling the loaded flight tank is no more dangerous than handling the fill tank of a pad-filled system, of course.

 

[AlphaHybrids]

Doug - I got your request. I'd be glad to help out your university team with some hardware.

Edward

 

[AlphaHybrids]

The plan is to use these systems as "go bys" to get the students up to speed on how these systems work, safety guidelines, and troubleshooting. Then the plan is to design our own. Currently have plans for 3D printing fuel grains and a igniter/burst disk system. Have ideas for the injector but that is not as developed.

If you want to stay with a monotube style system but upgrade the injector to a showerhead system, I can share with you a U/C based system that I developed. It has been static tested up to O class motors. Still fills and fires through the mid-bulkhead.

Edward

 

[ContrailRockets]

As I understand pre-fill tanks must be DOT rated which eliminates mono tube motors. Contrail GSE is a fill fire and purge. No oxygen required. As for staging the 75 mm 98 mm and 152 mm all have a port on the top bulkhead for staging the 38 mm and 54 mm can be modified for staging as well. If you ask hybrid flyers that have done it they may be able to give you some advice. I know when I did a 54 to 54 I filled the top motor thru the bottom motor and vented only the top motor. I have 1/8 and 1/4 NPT check valves on the ContrailRockets.net site. Big issue is designing for a separation and coast before ignition of your second stage.

 

[mpitfield]

Are you looking for one of these?

 

[ReconRocketman]

mpitfeild- thats exactly what were looking for. we currently have the RMS data pack which helped with the dimensions and designed and simulated some axial swirl injectors. the bottle adapter that allows for the head on screw and pin is our current hang up.

 

[mpitfield]

mpitfeild- thats exactly what were looking for. we currently have the RMS data pack which helped with the dimensions and designed and simulated some axial swirl injectors. the bottle adapter that allows for the head on screw and pin is our current hang up.

My post above resulted in a 3rd party reaching out to me and purchasing the hardware, so I no longer have it. However, if you need to confirm anything from the actual hardware, I can try to put the two of you in touch with each other.

Good luck on your project!

 

[DRAGON64]

I was able to connect with @ReconRocketman and get him what he was looking for. I wish him and his university all the best in their endeavors within hybrid rocketry.

 

[kramer714]

Old thread I know, but having flown almost all of the different hybrid systems (other than yours Edward), and especially if you are going to mess with printing your own grains. Think about keeping the development simple. Buy a Contrail 54 (bigger is actual a bit easier), have the students understand what happens during the launch, how nitrous temperature, fill pressure, grain etc affect the launch. These are fill then push the button and launch kind of systems, not hard once you understand what is going on. I have launched over 50 hybrids, the Contrail ones have a high reliability and simple build.

Then play with the variables, you can change them out one at a time, injector (Ask Tom at Contrail what different injectors he has for EX), or reach out to Edward (or both). change the grain / home made etc.

I have the Aerotech Hybrid, different way to go but for you I would recommend the Contrail, off the shelf hardware and reloads. Use that for a building block approach to doing what you want to do.

Mike K