GAR-E Igniter Acceptance Tests - November 15th–17th, 2023
Two instrumented burns checked whether the pyrotechnic igniter produced temperatures above ethanol's 365 °C autoignition temperature. Thermocouples measured the igniter and a second point along a clear tube representing the chamber flow path.
Measured results
In Test 1, the igniter thermocouple remained above 365 °C for 29.8 seconds and peaked at 1,032 °C. The downstream thermocouple was positioned at the injector plane and peaked at 256 °C, below autoignition.
In Test 2, the igniter thermocouple remained above 365 °C for 24.0 seconds and peaked at 860 °C. The downstream thermocouple was positioned halfway along the tube; it remained above 365 °C for 10.3 seconds and peaked at 597 °C.
The temperature records were captured on November 15. Additional test footage was recorded on November 17. The team noted that the tube length and first downstream sensor position were approximate, so the downstream measurements are specific to this fixture.
Test footage
