Westfall’s Flow Straightener 3000 Used For Next Generation Rocket Fuels

December 12, 2016  

Cryogenic fuels are gases that require extreme low temperatures to be sustained in a liquid state. 

They include blends such as the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen mixture used to propel NASA’s Space Shuttle.

Accurate mixing and precision metering of cryogenic propellants are critical because their mass flow rate is so much greater than that of traditional fossil fuels.

To insure the precise delivery of these powerful liquid fuels, one US developer of next-generation rocket engines has added Westfall’s Flow Conditioner Model 3000 to its pre-ignition system.

This model is an in-line flow straightener that is proven to provide a (+/- .05%) fully developed velocity profile.

It includes 4 fin-shaped vanes that reduce or eliminate swirl, and adds 4 wing-shaped vanes to suppress excess turbulence and straighten flow. It enables repeatable error-free measurement and delivery of liquids or gases.

This flow conditioner is preferable to a perforated plate conditioner because it significantly limits headloss, avoids fouling and requires little to no maintenance. The interior of Westfall’s Flow Conditioner 3000 can be coated with 3M Scotchkote Fusion-Bonded Epoxy, which effectively resists corrosion and enhances metering for cryogenic propellants in sub-orbital and orbital rocket engines.