UNCLASSIFIED

AD NUMBER
AD387034
CLASSIFICATION CHANGES
TO: unclassified

FROM: confidential

LIMITATION CHANGES
TO:
Approved for public release, distribution
unlimited

FROM:
Distribution authorized to U.S. Gov't.
agencies and their contractors;
Administrative/Operational Use; Nov 1967.
Other requests shall be referred to AFRPL
[RPPR/STINFO], Edwards AFB, CA 93523.

AUTHORITY
AFRPL ltr dtd 15 Mar 1971; AFRPL ltr dtd 5
Feb 1986

THIS PAGE IS UNCLASSIFIED

 9@U ULMDLNJ 1i UWL&

AFRPL.-TR-67-2789

(Unclassified Title)
q . ADVANCED CRYOGENIC ROCKET ENGINE PROGRAM
AEROSPIKE NOZZLE CONCEPT -- MATERIALS AND PROCESSES

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT REPORT

Rocketdyne, A Division of
North American Rockwell Corporation
6633 Canoga Avenue
Canoga Park, California

Technical Report AFRPL-TR-67-278

November 1967 /ty D C

Group 4FE1296
Downgraded at 3-Year Intervals
Declassified After 12 Years

THIS MATERIAL CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONALDEFENSE OF THE UNITED

STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE LAWS. TITLE 18 U.S.C.. SECTIONS 793 AND
794. THE TRANSMISSION OR REVELATION OF WHICH IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED
PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW.

"In addition to security requirements which must be met, this

document is subject to special export controls and each trans-
mittal to foreign governments or foreign nationals may be made
only with prior approval of AFRPL (RPPR/STINFO), Edwards,
California, 93523."

Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory

Edwards Air Force Base, California
Air Force Systems Command
United States Air Force
 Wheu U.S. Government drawing., specifications, or other data are used for
any purpo.e other than a definitely related Government procurement opera-
tion, the Government thereby incurs no responsibility nor any obligation
whatsoever, and the fact that. the Government may have formulated, furnished,
or in any was supplied the said drawings, specifications, or other data, is
not to be regarded by implication or otherwise, or in any manner licensing
the holder or any other person or corporation, conveying any rights or per-
mission to manufacture, use, or sell any patented invention that may in
any way be related thereto.

1N addition to stcurity requirements which must be met, this docu'nent is

subject to special export controls and each transmittal to foreign govern-
ments or foreign nationals may be made only with prior approval of AFRPL
(RPPR/STINFO), Edw.rds, California 93523.

This material contains information affecting the national defense of the

United States within the meaning of .he espionage laws, Title 18 U.S.C.,
Sections 793 and 794, the transmission of revelation of which in any manner
tc An unauthorized person is prohibited by law. •

I-

pp
(This page is Unclassified)
........
(-ii) AYRAL-TR-67-278
R-7251

fr.• ERITA

1. Page 87, photograph (Confidential)

2. Page 88, photograph (Confidential)

f--.-
 R r2 n n- ME D!.M--'i!?
f (a) Fn) 1.

a AIL"tP1.-TR- 67-2-7,1U

(Unclassified Title)

ADVANCE1) CRYOGINIC II0CIHIT ENGINE PRWGM I

AEROSPIRE NOZZLE CONCEPT -- MAThRIALE AND PROCESSES

IIESUVACII AND DIvrELOP';N`T IEI-PORT

Rocketdytie, A Division of

North American Rockwell Corporation

6633 ';anoga Avenue
Canoga Park, California

Technical Report AWJ,-TIn-,67-278

November 1967

Groap 4i
Downgraded at 3-Year Intervals
Declassified After 12 Years

Prepared by
F. B. Lary

This notel,,s contan, ,nfoemo,,on olI¢ct.~g tht noot,-.o! deenh of Ihe UnVode
i$ dh,n bhe reon,ng of the ep-onoge lo-, ,,'o 18 U C .S 793
and 79g. the t,ansa,n.,on or re.elot,or o; .h,ch, ,nay nonne, to o.af,, tvhor-
lied oersoc .1 p, ohnb~tcd by low. .

"In addition to security requirements which must be Met, this

document is subject to special export controls and each trans-
mittal to foreign governments or foreign nationals may be made
only with prior approval of AFRPL (RPPRi/STINFO), Edwards,
California, 93523."

Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laborotory

Edwards Air Force Base, California
Air Force Systems Command
United States Air Force

"V@® I.. L: ..
DOE
_ "• ' • __ -- :-,•

iLm m m mi mm
 FOl•U ORD

This report has been prepared under G.O. 08779 in

compliance •i.th report requirement, of Air Force
Cryogenic Aerospike Engine Program, Contract
AFO4(611 )-.11399.

This report has been assigned Rocketdyne report

number- R-7251.

This technicnl report, has been reviewed and is

approved.

Vernon L. Mahugh Eru•ie D. Braunschweig

Capt, USAF Capt, USAF
Project Engineer Program Manger
Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory

(This page is U(nclassified)

 I
ABSTRACT

Reported herein are the results of Materiuls and Processes effort related
to development and fabrication of experimental Aerospike thrust chamber
hardware.

This report includes information relative to the selection of materials

and information concerning the fabrication of the 250K combustor bodies
and injector:-, the development of the small tapered thrust chamber tubes,
and the development of tooling and successful brazing of the small tubes
to backup structure, and the injectors. Fabrication details of the 2.5
and 20K segment hardware is also included.

Highlighted are:

1. Data for prediction of tube life, based on elevated temperature

cyclic strain tests, analytical calculations, and life cycle
tests.

2. The developuient of vnali-diuameter, tapered, variabie -wall thick-

ness, formed tubes with an internal surface roughness iequirement.

3. The brazing of the small tapered tubes to the backup structure

utilizing the pressure bag concept.

4. The thermographic method of braze bond inspection.

i i i/iv

I I I I I| | l Ii i
 CONT•NTS

Introduction and Summary ... . ....... . 1

Cyclic Strain TeJts of Thrust Chamber Tube Materials .... 1

Tubv' Material Life Analysis and Exlperimental Verification 2

Thrust Chamber Tube Tester ................. ...... 3
Tube Tapering ................... ............ 4
Furnace Braze Tooling .............. .......... 6
Nondestructive Testing of Tube-to-Body Braze Joints . 8

Tube Material Selection Program ......... .......... .. 11

Program Plan ........................... . .. 11
Selection of Cendidate Materials. ...... . ....... 11
Literature Survey. ......... ....... ..... 11
Oxidation-.Erosiou and Surface Protection Studies.....1
Mechanical Property Tests .............. . 16
Brazing Feasibility Studies.. ....... . ..... 16
Mechanical Strain, Elevated Temperature
Fatigue Studies . ...... ...... ...... 18
Tube Tapering and Forming feasibilit.y Study ............. 19

Material Selection .................. ....... . 19

Nickel Tube-Wall Thrust Chamber Cycling Tests ........... 22
Nickel Tube-Wall Thrust Chamber Fatigue Results Analysis 23
Fabrication of 250K Combustors .. ..................... 33
General Deacription ................ ... ....... .33
Thfcus Chamber Tube Processing ............ .... . 35

Brazing of Tubes to Combustor Bodies... . .. . ...... . 46

250K Solid-Wall Cbamber, Copper Throat Weld Overlay . . . 94
Fabrication of 250K Injectors •. . . . . 97
Injector Strips, Deburriug Baffles ..... .... 97
Brazing of Injectors..... . . . 101

Fabrication of 2.5K Segments ........... .... 109

Nickel 200 Tube--Wall Fabrication. ... ........ ...... 109

OFIIC Ccpper Tube-Wall Fabrication ........ ....... . 123

V
""FabriCatio ACf
o 201K S,~ta9
Nickel 200 Tube-Wall Fabrication . . . . . . . . . 129
Injector Fabrication . . . . . . . . . . . 168

S... . ... -•- : . ...,-, - , +, .. .... .. . . "•.- _ r -j'a

vi
 I I1.UT)LA T 10

I, Matexial Selection Program . 12

2. 250K Thrust Chamiber Asseul0y -,IJ
3, Typical Longitludin] Splits ewuiid ton Inner and Outer
Tubes Subsequcnt to lligh-Pre.ssure Dic F'uiring . 39
4. Lomgitudinal Split V.%hich Penetroted Thrvugh ihe Tibe
Wall Causig Tube Not to l'inal
0c:-ua-to Shape 40
5. Locatlon of Crorio Sections Removed Frem lDigh-Pressure
Pie-Formed Outer Tubes After Flow Check . .. 12
6. Photos of Attack Produced on ID of Tubes by Walnut
Shells in [aboratory Test . . 45
7. Three Pressure Bag Configurations Tested in the
Laboratory for Pressure Response and 1fficiency 48
8. Internal Pressure vs. External Force for a 1-21/'32 x 6-3/1
Flat Pressure Bag . . .... .................... 49
9. Fuil-1.ength Inner and Outer Tube and Body Test
Segments Ready for Brazing . .................... 52
10. Lower End Tube-to-Body Joint Scaled After the First
Braze Cycle................. 54
11. Typical Exit Eiid Tube-to-Body Joint. . ....... 55
12. Outer Wall Segment, Injector lhnd . ................ 56
13. Typical 317 Stainless-Steel Test Specimens .. 58
14. View of an Outer Wall Assembly During First Cycle
Preparation. ...................... 62
15. Location of Nickel Filler Metal and 9OAg-l0Pd Braze
Alloy Application For the First BrEe Cycle. .... . 64
16. Outer Body Assembly on 'letort Base With Pressure Bag
Tooling Installed . . ........................ 65
17. The 270 cu ft Aerospike Vacuum Retort ............. 67
18. Time-Temperature Curve for the rirst 11razo Cycle,
Outer Wnll Unit No. 1 .. . . .. 69
19. Outer Wall Pressure Bag Tooling ................. 70

Ipg

S(ThiE ag is Unclassified)
20.
21.
Braze Test Specimen .. ..
Location of Nickel Filler Metal and 9OAg-lOPd Braze
Alloy Application for the First Braze Cycle.•
.. 72

75
7
22. Pressure Bag Pressure Requirements During Brazing Cycle,

Inner Wall Units No. 1 and 2 ........ .... 76

23. Location of Pressure BDgs and Purge Lines for the First
Braze Cycle on the Inner Wall Assembly . 77
24. Inner Wall Assembly in Brazing Pusition on Retort Base 79
25. Time-Temperature Curve for the First Braze Cycle,
Inner Wall No. I ........ ....... . ........ 81
26. View of Inner Wall Unit No. 2 in the Exit End Down P
Position Following the Second Braze Cycle.. . . . .... 7
27. Closeup View of Inner Wall Unit No. 2. .... . .. 88
28, Silver-Pulladium Brazed Tube Crown Repair on Type 347
Stainless-Steel Tube (70X) ....... .... ....... 90
29. Repair of Tube-to-Tube leakage by Stylus Plating
With Silver . ............ . .... 90
30. Thermograpbic Test Pesults on Laboratory Development
Sample ...................... .... ...... . 92
31. Thermographie Inspection Results Showing Areas of
Disbands.. ........ ...................... 93
32. Completed and Sectioned Baffle Assemblies . .... ...... 99
33. Section Through Braze Fixture and bo Baffles
CL....?.. r~b -Ti-n. . . . .

34, Broached Strip and Baffle Seat on Injector Segment , 102

35. Passage From Strip and Baffle Seat to Manifold by
the FZM Method .... ...................... 102
36. Braze Alloy Placement Between Strips. .
... ... . I..0
37. Braze Alloy and Nickel Th.u-ough Placement .... ... . 105
38. Partial Thermocouple Attachment . . .. . .
39. Furnace Retort for Brazing 250K Injector ........... .107
40, Location of Metallographic Specimens Re-moved Vrom
Nickel 209 Tubes (RL.000044X) . ............ . .... 113

Viii

rr -- . . . .-. -
 41. Typical Conditions Obrerved on Book Die Formed
I Nickel 20., 2.5K Segment Tube. ............. 115
42. 2,5R Nickel Tubular Thrust Chamber Segment Duri.ng
Assembly ............................ 116
43. 2.5K Nickel Tubular Thrust Chamber Segment Before
Addition of Backup Structure. ...... . ..... 118
44. Repair of 2.5K Nickel Tubular Thrust Chamber Segment 119
45. Braze Alloys Dots Applied to the ID Tube Crowns of the
2.5K Nickel Tubular Thrust Chamber Segment .. . . .. 120
46. Location of Metallograpbic Specimens Removed From OFIIC
Copper Tubes (ltLO0006OX) .......... .... ... 126
47. Typical Conditions Observed on Book Die Formed OFIC
Copper Tubes for 2.5K Segment ................... 127
48. Wall Thickness Profile of Tapered lL4000109X Nickel
200 Tube ... .... 130
49. Location of Metallographic Specimens Removed From
Straight Tapered Tubes During "In-Process" Control
Evoluations (RLOO0109X) ............. ..... 131,
50. Location of Metallographic Specimens Removed From
Preformed and Finish Formed Tubes (RLO00l09X) . . 0tO
14.
51. Typical Conditions Gbserved on Book-Die-Formed,
Nickel 200, 20K Segment Tubes . ... ............. . 141
52. Baffle Seat Assembly RLOO0113X After Furnace Brazing
and Final Ilachining ............. .... ....... 144
53. View of Brazed Baffle Seat Assembly Showing Outer
Tube Deformation .. . ....................... 146
54. Typical Components of RL)OOI07X End Plate Assembly
Before Assembly for Brazing . •......... 1148
5j. Tube-Wall Assembly RLOO0108X on Furnace Brazing
Fixture ...... ................. 149
56. Tube..'-i t Assvmbly RW000108X Following Assembly
on th... ?Irazing Fixture Cold Side Up . .............. 152
57. Hot-Gas Side of RLOOOiO8X Tube Wall Assembly . ..... 153

ix

I I I I IINNI
 0tionn
rflrenn Rm1UULOaflnfln

58. Cros-Secti onal Viewa of Tube Wall and Braze Fixture

Taken at Throat Area ......... ...... ...... . 154
59. Cross-Sectional Views of Tube Wall and Braze Fixture
Token at Throat Area ............. ... ....... .. 155
60. Unit No. I RIL00"lOX Chamber Braze Assembly After
Furnace Brazing .................. ..... 159
61. View of Area of Thrust Chamber ........ ...... 162
62. Uncured Strips of Verifilm 643 Applied to the Tube
Bundle Prior to Trial Assembly ...... ....... 166

63. Uncured Adhesive Film Pattern Applied to a Titanium

Backup Structure Prior to Assembly ............... 16,
64. Baffle Assembly RLO00104X Showing Components Before
and After Assembly .............. .... ... 170
65. Thermocouple Location, Purge Line Position, and
Position in Furnace ..... ....... .... 172

(This page is Unclassified)

 (AAk¶OIMEI

1. Candidate Materials for Thrust Chamber Ueag 3

2. Summary of Results, Material Property Literature
Survey ................ ......... ...... 15
3. Cyclic Strain Test Results ....... .... ..... 17
4. Factors Affecting Selection of 20K-Segment Tube
Matcrial ................... .... ..... 20
5. Factors Affecting Selection of Long-Range Tube
Materials ........ ........ ............ 21
6. Summary of 2.5K Segment Cycle Tests. ...... . . 224
7. Thermal Fatigue Tube Tester Results on Nickel 200 32
8. Brazed Lap Patch Test Data ........... ...... 59
9. Outer Wall Furnace Braze Data. ....... . ... 68
10. Inner Wall Furnace Braze Data ............... ... . 80
11. Results of Metallurgical Evaluations Conducted on
Tapered Nickel 200 Tubes (RLOO0044.X) . . . 111
12. Results of Metallurgical Evaluation Conducted on
Finish Formed Nickel 200 Tubes .................. 114
13. Results of Metallurgical Evaluations Conducted on
Tapered OFIIC Copper Tubes (RL000060X) . ............ 125
14. Results of Metallurgical Evaluations Conducted on
Tapered Nickel 200 Tubes (RLO00109X) During Tapering
Parameier Development... . ....... 132
15. Metallurgical Sample Requirements Established for
In-Process Control and Final Acceptance of Nickel
200 Tubes (RLO00109X) . . . .................. 133
1.t Results of Metallurgical Evaluations Performed on
I Straighi. T-'pered Nickel 200 Tubes In-Process Control
,Checks of Producti'.an Runs ........ .... ..... 135
.. 17. Metallurgical ERvluation Conducted on Preformed Nickel
200 Tubes (.LoOOOIO9X) From Manufacturing Lot 8062 . . 137

x1

-_ .~- . _-_-. '

_-. ..
 /r--%-%rn r=nr--% MIrnnr-"n on nt K
i8. ResultE of Metallurgical Evaluation Conducted on
Preformed Nickel 200 Tubes (RL000109X) Subsequent
to Annealing . ............................ 138
19. Results of Metallurgical Evaluation Conducted on
Finish Formed Nickel 200 Tubes (RLo000x09X) .. . .. 139
20. Baffle Seat Assembly (R1,00113X) Fabrication History , 145
21. Tube-Wall A.asembly 01I000108X) Leakage and Repair History 150
22. Chamber Braze RJ)0OOI10X Furnace Brazing History . . 158
23. Chamber Braze Assembly RI)00110X Post-Torch Braze
Leakage and Repairs .... ... ... ... ...... 161
24. Baffle Assembly RLO00104X Fabrication History . . 169

xii

"
½.,-- -~~a. . -
 INTIMDUCT !ON AND bUMNA-Y

(U) Fabricativon of toroidal configuration thrust chambers and injectors

and various thrust. chamber segments was made possible only after the derel-
opment of specialized fabrication methods and tooling to accommodate the
advanced design of the hardware. The requirement for fabricating two tubu-
lar thrust chamber assemblies with no allowance for spares demanded rigorous
planning and development. This required that techniques hazardouu to the
assemblies were avoided, and that safe, reliable techniques were to be used
at all times.

(U) Joining of component parts was accohplis,.ed by standard welding and

brazing practices and with adhesive bonding and bolting during the fiPal
stages of segmented--hardware assembly.

(U) Highly specialized repair techniques wcre developed to repair damaged

tubes. Unique methods were iused to remo e Cents, seal holes, and to remove
restrictions in the small-d.ameter tubes.

CYCLIC STRATN TESTS OF T.'!MIt'ST 1AW.TnFI -P'yr kATJ.TAIA

(U) To provide data for prediction of tube life, elevated temperature cyclic
strain tests were conducted for the candidate tube materials. Three types
of tests were considered: (1) thermal cycling of restrained tubular speci-
mert; (2) thermal cycling of tubular specimens with sufficient c ciic mechani-
cal strain added to simulate strain levels calculated for the thrust chamber
regenerative cooling tubes; (3) mechanical strain cycling of bar specimens
at constant temperature. The third test method was chosen because of the
immediate availability of cyclic mechanical strain test equipment and the
inherent simplicity of this-type of testing.

0~s~~ 7~: - (This page is Unclassified) __

 I
(C) The materials selected for testirg were OFIIC copper, nickel 200,
nickel 270, type 347 stainless steel, and beryllium copper #10.

(U) Test specimen configuration consisted simply of a cylindrical tensile

specimen with a 3/8-inch long, 1/4-inch dioieter reduced section. Attach-
ment pnints of the extensometer were located in the V-grooves on either
side of the reduced section. Mechanical strain, representing the equiva-
lent thermal strain calculated for the thrust chamber tubes, was applied
by an Instron mechanical test machine controlled by extensometer feedback.
The specimen was heated during test by a modified tube furnace which was
capable of maintaining ±10 F in the test section.

(C) The test temperatures were selected to include the tube crown tem- F
peraturzs predicted for each candidate material during f~ring of the demon-
stration thrust chamber. The higher annealing temperatures represented
anticipated brazing temperatures. The lower temperatures were standard
anneals which do not produce appreciable grain growth. All tests with
the exception of one were stopped at 400 cycles if complete separation
had not occurred.

(C) The data obtained from these tests together with general design con-
qidprntiJnnc an al1ytical -cal-culations andd 1iffe cycle te5Lý,s on the 2.9KM a

segment, resulted in the selection of Ni 200 as the tube material for the
demonstrator design.

TUBE MATERIAL LIFE ANALYSIS AND EXPERIMENTAL VERIFICATION

(U) An analytical approach to the prediction of tube life was formulated.

A "strength-of-materials" approach to the approximate solution of the multi-
axial, cyclic, plastic strains was usea in conjunction with low-cycle fatigue
relationships to enable a prediction of the tube fatigue life. Comparisons
between the predicted and experimentally determined thermal fatigue lives
were then made by hot-firing tests of a full-scale thrust chamber segment.

2
(C) A 2.5K vickel tube uall segment was tested by cycling chamber pressure;
and thus, tube wall temperature, in a series of cyclic test groups. During
each test group, the fuel flow through the injector and tube banks remained
unchecked, while the LO2 flow was intermitteutly stopped. Ignition was ob--
tained with TEAB hypergol, and maintained during the idle phases of each
test group by a small gaseous oxygen flow.

(C) Thermal fatigue tube cracks began to appear at about test 200, and
steadily increased in number to include 80 percent of the tubes at test
314, with the thrust chamber still in operable condition. It was noted
that the predicted thermal fatigue life of the 2.5K segment was about mid-
way between test 200 and 314.

THRUST CHAMBER TUBE TESTER

(U) A unique experimental tool for simulation of the complex thermal strain
conditions of thrust chamber tubes was used during the program. This thermal
fatigue tester employed an electrically heated, hydrogen-cooled tubular
specimen. Heat generated by electrical resistance was applied to the tube
specjmen, which was in turn continuously cooled inte-nally. A near steady-
'-tate heat transfer condition was thereby established resulting in the simu-
lation of the thrust chamber tube-wall temperature drop. The electrical
power was varied to simulate changes in thrust chamber operating conditions.

(C) This tube tester was used to conduct thermal-fatique evaluations on the
selected Nickel-200 tube material. Some engine start-stop sequence simula--
tion tests were initially completed. The segment cycling tests later largely
superseded the results of this effort. Of special interest, however, was a
unique test designed to simulate a complex fatigue-creep condition, which
could be more critical to thrust chamber life than the start-stop sequential
life.

3
(C) A severe "steady-sFiate"
tube gas-wall cycling condition of 13165 to
1435 F at a frequency of about 1 cps, in combination with a pressure stress
of 4500 psi, was applied to the specimen. The calculated nominal tempera-
ture drop through the specimen tube crown was 520 F. This test represented
conditions more severe than any predicted for the aerospike nozzle. Testing
continued for 7 hours, accumulating 22,500 thermal cycles without fracture
or leaks.

(U) It was difficult to compare the experimental results of this test

against analytical predictions, since a large extrapolation of the thermal-
fatigu'e cur've used to predict the start-stop sequential life was required,
with a resultant loss in confidence. The test did demonstrate, however,
the adequacy of the selected material in a complex fatigue-creep operating
condition.

TUBE TAPERING

(U) The development of small-diameter tapered and formed tubes 'which 'were
brazed together to form toroidal and segmented assemblies was a major step
in the successful fabrication of hardware. Although some experience had
previously ubeen gaineu
r' th1 1g L.
13 Ii -

segment test programs, the techniques of tapering cross section and wall
thickness on small tubes were advanced.

(U) Engineering drawing requirements which specified a wall thickness of

0.007 to 0.009 inch in the area of maximum taper, with an inside diameter
longitudinal surface roughness of rms 50-]00 represented a significant
challenge to the tapering process. This fact coupled with the requirement
for a 0.010 to 0.012 inch wall thickness at the portions of the tube away
from the throat and taper transition areas required considerable development
work.

MOV~rM.MM-OI

*.~ - ---. i .~:-t4~ .. . ¼~--..

N~ ~ ~W t-.nA5o. ii - p .-.- e..4S ~ l~v \ V
(U) In order to impose the maximum of control upon a complex process and
still ensure a reaeonably iilexpensive tube of high quality, a processing
specification was issued which was unique in that it required a test for1
ensuring the tapered tubes would be capable of being plastically deformed
by internal pressure to withstand high-pressure die forming. In addition,
requirements for cleaning and annealing of preformed tubes were specified
along with final acceptance criteria for a lot of tubes which used the
actual high-pressure die forming of a representative sample from each lot
as the basis for acceptance of the lot.

(U) Metallurgical evaluation of experimental and preproduction runs of

tapered outer tubes revealed that the tube could be successfully made in
one pass. The outside diameters, on both tube configurations, in areas
which were not tapered, were on the minimum side of the acceptable toler-
ance range, and the wall thickness in the area of maximum taper was on
the maximum side of the acceptable tolerance range.

(U) Tapering tubes with a tapered wail and an ID surface roughness with
specific values in the area of maximum reduction (where the wall is also
at the smallest dimension) was achieved. Values between 43 and 75 rms
were obtained on the outer tubes and 47 to 72 rms on the inner tubes.

(U) The expansion capability requirement specified that a percentage of

tapered and annealed tubes of each configuration be e-panded 6 percent
diametrically in a high-preosuire dip in order to -howr formability of the
represented lot of tubes. No problems were experienced on the outer tubes
during this test. During initial expansion tests on inner, tapered and
annealed tubes the tubes burst at pressures considerably below the pres-

sure required to expand the tubes 6 percent.

(U) Results of the extensive analysis performed on the mechanics of the

test itself revealed that the tubes failed because of unbalanced axial

S.. .. ....• 7:. . .. .. .. . . .. .: -- .

pressure loads which occurred during tube pressurization. These loads
cause the tubc to shift. longitudinally in the die cavity before expansion
CoQd secur.- The axial loadt created axial compreagivc stresse• of suxf-
ficient magnitude in the area of maximum reduction on the tube to first
yield the material in compression, then buckle the entire cross section
into a tight kink when the tube translated into the divergent section of
the die. Subsequent increasing pressurization brought on hoop failure at
thc buckled location.

(U) The situation was resolved by swaging both ends of the inner tubes,
and modification of the tube pressurization fixture. These changes re-
duced the unbalanced axial load in the tube diameter to a negligible value
and the data obtained gnve high assurance that the inner tubes would form
properly. Since there was a considerable time span between tapering an'
high-pressure die forming, thesc tests protected the schedule by demon-
strating assurance early that tha tubes were of adequate quality for the
severe deformation encountered during high-pressure die forming. Very
few rejections 'ere subsequently encountered in high-pressure die forming
(the ultimate chezk on the tube tapering operation) on the 12,000 outer
and 10,000 inner tubes produced.

(U) A numerical traceability system was maintained on all 250K thrust

chamber tubes so that metallurgical and dimensional inspection could be
contrulled and related to specific tubes.

FUIRNACE BRAZE TOOLING .

(U) Considerable experience has been acelimulated in the use of inter-

nrul pressure bags to hold regenervtive cooling tubes in place during

6
the hr.nqin - .nf lArg,,
M hl- Iwver
.hapedhumbers.
... the bur a ing of_ t- IU
inner and outer walls for a 100-inch-diameter, toroidal shaped chamber
was an advancement in the following areas:

1. Brazing small tubes to a massive backup structure

2. Maintaining precise throat gap requirements by constant and

uniform pressure

3. Controlling differential thermal expansion through the use ol

pressure bag tooling. A temperature differential of only 1 F
would produce a differential expansion over the 100-inch diameter
of about 0.001 inch.

4. Maintaining tube-to-body fit with the provision for physical in-

spection of the tubes after installation of the pressure bag
tooling.

(U) The pressure bag concept allowed the forces on the tubing to be varied
with. temperature in such a way that proper tubing location was maintained
without crushing the tubes at elevated temperature. Proper use of the bags
required knowledge of the relationship between internal pressure and external
forces through the ambient to 2000 F temperature range. Knowledge of the
elevated temperature strength of the type 347 stainless steel tubing under
transverse compressive loads was also necessary. To satisfy these require-
ments laboratory tests were conducted on pressure bag force relationships
and tube crushing strengths.

(U) Pressure bags with diagonal expaesion grooves had been used previously
in large tube bell chamber applications to allow for expansion and contrac-
tion of the bag while minimizing stretching anid uncontrolled wrinkling. A
flat, pillow type bag was also selected for test to reduce the stiffness
characteristics of the grooved bags and to reduce the risk of losing tube-
to-body coutact at groove locations on the small tube Aerospike configuration.
Testing of the three bag configurations demonstrated the superior perform-
ance of the flat type.
(IT) Tube crushing experiments vere run at both ambient and elevated tern-
peratures by applying loads through a steel block to a similated tube
assembly. The forces required to hold the tubes in place at, 2000 F ei e
much less than 50 psi, indicating a satisfactory inirgin of safety at all
temperatures.

(U) The above design considerations and test data resulted in the con-
struction of flat, pillow-Qype inflatable pressure bags attached to equaliy
spaced rigid backing rings, four rings on the outer wal.l and seven rings
on the inner wal 1. The rings, were approximately 4 sq in. cross sctrional"
area, with 2-inch separation between the rings. Sufficient tube area was
covered by the pressure bags, backed by the rings, to prevent tube wove-
ment; yet., sufficient. space remained open between pressure bag rings to
allow physical verification (by moving tubes) of tube-to-body fit. The
space between rings also provided free circulation of the furnace atios--
phere for cleanliness and temperature uniformity during brazing.

(U) The experimental data on the pressure bags and tube strengths were
utilized in the subsequent line pressure-temperature requirements used
in the furnace brazing operation. This tooling proved very satisfactory
ii obtaining tube--to-backu)p structure bond as revealed by the thermochrom-
istic inspection,

NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING OF TUTBE-TO-BODY BRAZE JOINTS

(U) Pos t braze inspection of the tube--to-backup braze bond was nece3sary
to: (1) prove the tooling ard brazing procedures, and improve the quality
of subsequent bodies by tooling modification, if necessary (2) provide a
measure of dtsbond that determines the maximum pressure which could be i

tolerated between the tubes and the bodies which might result from leakage,
and (3) indicate whetlher repair or a rebraze cycle was necessary, in the
case of gross disbond.

- - ~.. - - - - tfl -s *--t w.t,#SS ..

(U) The determination of tube-to-body braze joint bond or disbond was not
feasible by normal inspection methods, i.e., ultrasonic or X-ray. The use
of thermochromistic pigments appeared to be simple, inexpensive, and prvctical.

(IT) The thermographic method is the application of a temperature-sensitive

paint upon the hardware to be inspected, and the application of heat. at a
rapid rate from the same side in which the paint was applied. Changes in
the conductivity, due to the presence or absence of a heat sink, of the sub-
surface material are detected by color changes ef the surface paint. The

absence of a heat sink (disbond) causes the area oe the tube over the void
to increase in temperature at a fastex rate than bonded adjacent areas. A
temperature of 140 F will cause the thermochromistic paint to change color
from a light pink to a vivid blue. The change in color is reversible with
higher humidities, which is beneficial in that this permits "erasing" the
blue color, but humidity must be controlled so that sufficient time is pro-
vided for recording results. Initially a sample group of tubes was brazed
to a backup panel with various sizes of slots in the panel to deliberately

create disbonds in the brazed assembly. The resulting thermochromistic scan

clearly showed the lack of bond in the slot areas, as well as tubes that
lifted from the backup panel during brazing.

(IT) In addition to many other test specimens, the test proved its practi-
cality on 0.0-8 to 0.011 inch wall thickness 347" stainless steel tubes
brazed to a massive sqtainless steel backup structure.

(U) To ensure repeatability, it was necessary to establish the effects of

temperature and relative humidity on the rate of color recession. The time

availabl,,? to record the location and size of the void as manifested by the
initial color change could then be ascertained for a given temperature and
humidity.

9
(U) The test results indicated that a relative humidity of 60 loercent. was
the maximum humidity l.. and below which =•l• c time woulu ex•S•t tou iukc the

necessary recordings.

(U) Other extensive tests were necessary to establish the distance of the
heat source from the hardware being tested, and the rate of travel of the
heat source around the circumference of the combustor bodies.

(1) The development effort permitted the highly successful in-p1cction of

the outer combustor bodies in 35 minutes each and the inner bodies in 90
minutes. The time difference for inspection was not because of significant
differences in area of the bodies, but was due to repositioning the camera used
for r cording any indications around the circumference of the inner body
compared to its pivot position at the center of a circle for the outer body.

(U) The thermo detection method of testing was very simple, reliable and
inexpensive. It made possible, what is extremely difficult, expensive, or
impracticable by other inspection methods. The test method proved the ade.-
quacy of the braze tooling, techniques, and procedures on the first body
brazed, and revealed no gross areas of disbond which could have interfered
-with operating parameters, or necessitated rework..

10

at
. .. ..- - • (
 TUBE MATERIAL SELECTION PROGRAM

PROGRAM PLAN

(U) A materials evaluation and selection elfort was planned to provide

the critical data needed to select a long-life, high-performance, fabri-
cable tube material. The logic flow diagram for the material selection

prcGram is shown in Fig. 1

SELECTION OF CANDIDATE MATERIALS

(U) In the selection of the candidate tube materials for thrust chamber
usage, an effort waq made to utilize basic analysis as a means of screening
a broad range of materials. A plastic strain analysis, in conjunction with
an analysis of high-temperature ductility and fatigue data, was used to
select the candidates. In general, a candidate material was evaluated by
comparing the predicted cyclic plastic strain against its fatigue proper-
ties over a range of temperatures. Other considerations, such as ease of
fabrication, mechanical properties, and estimated cost and availability,
influenced the selection (Table 1 ).

(U) The candidate materials thus selected were then the subject of pre-
liminary studies in processing, availability, and cost. As a result of
these preliminary studies, a further screening of the original candidates
was made. The original candidate materials which survived the preliminary
screening are also shown in Table I

LITERATURE SURVEY

(U) A survey was made of all available data on the physical and mechanical
propertie-s of the candidate materials. All existing valid data -were com--
piled using, wherever possible, the properties of the material in the

11

(This page is Unclassified)

 uif'
-Jii

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:e
Ix-

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kn I-

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< < '

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1.2
 TABLE 1

CANDIDATE MATERIALS FOR THRUST CHAMBER USAGE

Original Candidates, Selected

by Analysis

Nickel 200
270
TD

Copper OFIIC
Boron Deoxidized
Beryllium Alloy 10
Zirconium Alloy
Chromium Alloy

St,.•i.lleas Steel 3147

Screened Candidates, Evaluated

by Tests

Nickel 200
270
Copper O,HC

Additional Candidates for Long-

Range Application, Evaluated by
Tests

Copper Boron Deoxidized

Beryllium Alloy 10

13
as-furnace-brazed condition. The results of the literature survey are
shonr in Table 2. In some instances, the required data were not avail-
able. Testing was therefore scheduled to obtain these data on the
remaining candidate materials, as indicated by the shaded boxes. As
stated earlier in this section, four of the candidate materiala were
eliminated. Chrome copper and zirconium copper were eliminated because
of difficulties in furnace brazing. TD-nickel and Iiastelloy-X were
eliminated because of the shortage of supply in tube stock and long lead
time to procure samples and stock. Also, TD-nickel cost was excessive
when procured in bar stock as necessary for this -ffort.

OXIDATION-LROSION AND SURFACE PROTECTION STURIES i

(U) The oxidation-erosion studies r.:vealed that from strictly thermo- I

dynamic considerations, copper and nickel should not oxidize in a vater
vapor environment. With excess hydrogen in the water vapor, copper and
possibly nickel should not oxidize, even under the flow conditions charac-

teristics of the thrusL: chambers. It seems probable, then, that the

oxidation-erosion problem, if it appears, cente.rs around such practical
considerationns n nnirnifnrm mixtirp rafio distrilm•.nn and aFdversqe ner--
turbations in tube temperature. These effects can only be determined by
tests, and are characteristic of injector design, start sequence, throttling
range, and other system-controlled effects.

(U) The Ciffusiorn layers and coating studies were intended to reveal
those state-of-the-art processes which might be applied to nickel or cop-
per tubes to enhance their oxidation-erosion resistance. Two different
approaches were explored. Studies indicated that braze alloy wetting may
increase the oxidation resistance of nickel and copper since these alloys
are essentially composed of noble metals. A concurrent literIture review
revealed the existence of several state-of-the-art intermetallic diffusion
processes which would be applicable to nickel and possibly copper. Diffu-
sions of aluminum appear particularly attractive because such diffusions

14
CS s

4 a, 4 "W
J'

<0 a V o-c , m
v C c K

0 , I 1 ' 4
F. wl A A 4 ,2 AA

0 r- 0;0
'!

rLý t'l ItC CD

CC CIZ 15' j 0i
reputedly have ductilities close to that of the base metal. Other diffu-
sion systems in current use employ chromium and aluminum-chrowium combina-
tions. All diffusion coatings would adversely affect thermal conductivity
to aoiie degree. The significance of this degradation could only be de-
termined by heat transfer tests and analyses.

(U) As a result of the oxidation-erosion and diffusion layers and coatings

studies, a decision was made to eliminate the surface protection screening
tests until a firm requirement isas established by hot-firing tests.

MECIANICAL PROPERTY TESTS

(C) The mechanical property and ductility tests were simple tensile tests

on rod and tube specimens, both in the annealed condition, and were also
processed in a way similar to a furnace-brazed tube. Tests were conducted
at room temperature in air and also at elevated temperature in an argon
environment. The results of these tests are shown in Table 3 . Some sig-
nificant findings from these tests were the excessively low yield stress
of Nickel 270 and the effects of grain size on the tube materials apparent
tensile pronerties.

BlAZING FEASIBILITY STUDIES

(C) The braze process and contamination studies and tests were intended
to define initially proposed furnace step braze cycles for each candidate
tube material. Thcse initially proposed braze cycles were then applied
to test specimens to determine the alloy wetting and flow characteristics,
and to determine any tendencies for the braze alloys to induce tube alloy-
ing or intergronular penetration. The results of these tests indicate

that while Nickel 200 and 270 apparently may be successfully furnace brazed
with current technology, brazing of bare OFtIC and beryllium copper is limited
by tendencies of the common braze alloys to dissolve part of the base metal.

16
 (c) TABLE 3

CYCL1C STRAIN TUST RESULTS

Annea ling Test cycles

Temper'ature, Spec.ification Tmpera ture, To Total I Condition of
Miterial F No. F Crack Cycles Specimen After

Strain 0.013)j*
OFlC Cu 900 1 500 230 322 90 percent crack
OFHC Cu 900 2 50) 104 400 Separation
OI1C Cu 900 750 - 400 Na crack
OFIIC Cu 900 8 750 - 40O No crack
OFMiC Cu 1900 13 500 135 308 Separation
OFIIC Cu 1900 1h 750 50 4OO Separation
MFIC Cu 1900 9A 750 490 511 20 percent cracle*
OFIIC Cu 1900 3 500 - 400 No crack
Strain 0.0257*
Ni 200 1350 4 1100 100 168 Separation
Ni 200 1350 3 1100 50 283 Separation
Ni 200 1350 6 1400 100 355 Separation
Ni 200 1350 5 1400 20 390 Separation
Ni 209 1975 22 1100 74 327 Separation
Ni 200 1975 21 1400 20 400 Separation
Strain 0.0257*
Ni 270 1975 16 1100 180 400 50 percent crack
Ni 270 1975 15 1100 180 400 20 percent crack
Ni 270 1975 18 1400 170 529 Separation
Ni4 2)70 197 17 100 12301) 0W0 an r- + v,-pk

Strain 0.0360*
317 1975 20 1200 70 315 Separation
Stainless
3117 1975 19 1650 50 105 Separation
Stainless
Strain 0.0098*
Be Cu #10 1650 + 11 500 00
4- No crack
1100
Be Cu #10 16-0 + 12 500 - 400 No Crack
11G0
Be Cu #10 1650 + 10 750 - 251 Separation
1100
Be Cu #10 1975 24 500 - 400 No crack
Be Cu #10 1975 23 750 400 No crack

*Total strain range

**Separeted througb 20 percent of reduced section

17
 a r-
('i re"1n"-
reI' 11n
r n I
M.IcIANICAL STRAIN, ELLLATED TI'2,|PERATURE FATIGUE STUDIES

(U) The mechanical strain at elevated-temperature fatigue tests were

designed to simulate the strain cycle experienced by a thrust chamber
during the start and shutdown sequence. These tests were run at constant
elevated temperatures, and utilized rod specimens which were axially

strained. Materials in the annealed and furnace-brazed condition were

tested. Plastic strain analysis was used to predict the equivalent axial
strains which each material v;ould experience as a thrust chamber throat
tube. The tests were run at temperatures which represented the maximum
predicted tube gas-wall temperature for each material. Tests were also
run at a reduced temperature known to represent a condition of minimum
ductility for each material. All tests were run in an argon environment.

(U) A record of each load-strain cycle wras continuously printed out by

automatic equipment. An unsymmetrical curve was developed after a large
number of cycles which represented the load-deflection behavior of tile
progressing fatigue crack alternately stressed in tension and compression.
As the crack grew, the tensile load-carrying ability decreased as strain
remained constant, thus providing a convenient technique for recording
crack progression.

(U) i•hilv it is customary in tests of this nature to report the number

of cycles to complete fracture, a more meaningful technique was used
which gave a measure of the development of internal fatigue damage, as
well as the conventional cyclic life. This was obtained by plotting the
ratio of rm.ximum cyclic tension (compression loads in the specimen vs the
number of test cycles). These load values were obtained from the load-
strain hysteresis loops. Groups of curves for each common material and
process condition were then drawn for each specimen run at various ted
temperatures.

18

(This page is Unclassified)

TUBE TAPIRING AND FOII•ING FEAIIBILITY STUDY

(C) A relaLed tube--tapering feasibility program was also completed, and

the results were made available for the material selection program. The
materials evaluated in this program were type 3417 stainless steel, Nickel
200, Nickel 270, and OFIIC copper. These materials were experimentally
tapered to tube dimensions and tolerances. Inspection of the finished
tubes yielded an initial estimate of tube-tapering confidence with regard
to process time, tolerance control, lubricant contamination, and the effect
of inclusions in the materil.

MATERIAL SELECTION

(U) To select a tube material for the demonstrator segment thrust chamber,
a criteria list was developed as an aid. The criteria were taken from
life, performance, ann fabrication considerations. Each tube material
vas then evaluated by these criteria, as determined from the results of
the Materials Selection Program, frer- previous experience, from published
literature, and from the results of the hot-firingu tests,

(C) A comparison of the demonstrator segment thrust chamber tubs materials,

__ d te mi Yed by the-se c riteri,
- n gx -1 in Table 4 . It v 1 C-neniudedl
that Nickel 200 offered the best combination of necessary features for
this application. This material was therefore selected, iii combination
with a process cycle wbhich produced the best obtainable properties.

(U) A similar comparison i-as made of the long-range candidate ,.aterials

(Table 5 ). It was seen that the beryllium copper alloy No. 10 material
offered a large increase in the,'mal fatigue life and upratinig capability.
Its practical thrust chamber use, however, awaits the development of
suitable manufacturing processes.

19

N_)____U0 1,R
 FACTORS AFFE'TING SELECTION OF 20K-SEGTENW TiJBE MATRIATL
(Base-d on State-of-the-Art Fabricdtionii Technology
I(C) and Chamber Operuting Condiienuu)

-a
ateri a1 Iv! "1

Stainless Nickel Nickel OInic

Criterion Steel 200 . 270 Copper

Strength to Withstand Good Good Poor Good

fiydraulic Stresss

Thtrznol Stress Poor Good Poor Fair

Fatigue Resistance I

Metallurgical Stability Excellent Good Poor Poor

Ox ida ti on-Eros i on Good Good Good Good

Resistance

System Compatibility" ExeeIlent Good Good Fnair

Comparative CoolanL 1.0 0.85 0.75 0.95

Pressure Drop

Comparativa Weight 1.0 1.05 1.05 1.20

Uprating Capability Poor Fair Fa i r Good

Drawing, Tapering, Good Excellent Excellent Good

f and Forming Confidence

Brazing Confidence Excellent Good Good Poor

Availability Good Good Good Good

STo i' ,,-z V flow " ow Low

w ow__ _ i,_ __

20 ........ 'It

-J
 (c) TABL 5

FACTORS AFFECTING SELECTION OF LONG-RANGE TULT3i

MATEHIAL5

(Bused on Current Knowledge and Chamber Operating Conditions)

Material Beryllium Beryllium

K~ritrion opp
Deoxidized ope-
Partial Heat keyli
FullIHeat
Criterion Copper Treat Treat

Strength to Withstand hood Exc2llent Excellent

Hydraulic Stress

Thermal Stress Fatigue Good Excellent Unlimited

Resistance

MetallurgicolI Stability Good Excellent Excellent

Oxidation-Erosion Fair Good Excellent

Res i stance

System Compatibility Fair Good . Good

/.,

Comparativc Coolant 0.95 0.95 0.95

Pressure Drop

Comparative Weight 1.20 1.05 1.05

Uprating Capability GoAd Excel lent Excellent

Draving, Tapering, and Good Uniinown Unknolrn

Forming Confidence

Brazing Confidence Poor Poor Poor

Availability Fair Good Good

T otal Cost
Low j-loderM
d'er a e

- I

21

i,- LA. -- .-

, ;. •..0
 NICKEL TUlE-WALL TIIRUST CIIAMBERi CYCLING TESTS

Test Conditions

(C) Ail experimental determination of the thermal fatigue life of a 2.5K

segment thrust chamber was completed. The goal of this 2.5K tube-wall
segment cycling program was to demonstrate by actual hot-firing tests thc
life expectancy of the Nickel 200 tube iatea=i selecte for the Demonstrator

tubes. A further benefit derived from this tests series was an experimental
verification of the analytical tube life predictions.

S(U) To achieve these goals, it was necessary to reproduce operating condi-

tions which simulated the critical fatigue life parameters of the Demonstra-
tor at rated operation in a segment thrust chamber having an identical tube
material.

(C) Thc second nickel tube-wall 2.5K thrust chamber was made available
from a related program and used for these cycling tests. Thit segment
was fabricated of Nickel 200 tubes which were drawn, tapered, and pressure
formed following a process planning which closely resembled that described
for the Demonstrator Module. The segment thrust chamber experienced two-
step furnace braze cycles, using the braze alloy systems selected during
the tube material selection program. The total furnace time at high tem-
perature -was adequate to ensure that tube material grain growth effects
I were simulated.

(C) Ignition was obtained by the use of TF-A--TEB hypergol. The current
plan for the Demonstrator Module ignition makes use of 0 2/2 1800 F hot
gas. No appreciable differences in environmental effects were predicted
as a result of the substitution of the hypergolic ignitiýrn fluid. During
the test series, no deposits resun]ting from the comblstion of TEA-TEB were
found in the thrust chambe except in very minute quantities.

22

M....,"' .:
-- ,~~O .UJ 91 ?-..-•- .•-,- -

4 . . , , .. • • ,,._.• :.•4 ,. ,, .,:..:- ,-,, -.. •. . . . :, • w,•,• - ; • . •••.:-•• .• : ,• •., , • • .• -.. ,: .. , :

'-..-.•
 (C) it is thus reasonable to conclude that the effects of chemical and
temperature environment on the metallurgy of the Demonstrator Nickel 200
tube material were simulated in the 2.5K segment.

Testing ProcedureI

(C) The 2. 'K segm.ent wais tcted by cycling chamber pr"ssuae, ad thus
tube wiall temperature. in a series of cyliec test groups. During each
test group, the fuel flow ltrough the injector and tube banks remained

unchecked, whil. the LO flow was intermittently stopped. Ignition was

obtained at the start of each test group with TIA-TEB hypergol, and was
maintained during I he idle phases of each test irroup by a small, continuous,
gaseous oxygen flow. During these cyclic idle phases, the heat flux to
the walls was ve'ry low, and by analysis, a tube-wall and adjacent-structure
average temperature which appiroached -230 F was rea1ized. Tie upper cyclie
tube-wall temperatures were near those predicted for the Demonstrator throat.
A summary of the operational, tube cooling, and life parameters for each
test group is gi-veil in Ttbl 6.

(C) The chamber segment was still in a satisfactory operating condition

at tihe conclusion of the 315 hot-firing tests. Iloever, since the program
goal of demonstrating the feasibility of obtainin- 300 hot-fire cycles
with the Nickel 200 tube material selected for tile Demonstrator Module
chamber had been exceeded. the hardware was removed from the test facility
in favor of a detailed metallurgical analysis of the chamber and injector.

iN !C!KLL TUB3E -!'• , RU ': C "V, ! ,'_UEFAlT

•TJI Ir •. T •S, • , T1-1 .lT
,L

Analysis of Test Conditions

(c) The most severe limitation to the extended usage of well-designed,

regeneratively cooled thrust chamber is imposed by the fatigue of the

coolant tubes. The fatigue phenomenon ordinarily manifests itself in

'1

23
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 the form of tinv transverse cracks which nucleate and grow througl. the
hot wall of the tube. The primary cause may be described as thev gradual

destruction of the matterial's internal bonding due to plastic strain ori

slip.

(U) Tiertnally induced plastic strains in the. Demonstrator tubes occur

during the engine start. and shutdown sequence, especially near the throat
plane. Hlere a transient gas-wll temperiture ranging from near the coolant
bulk temperature to the nominal operating value occurs with the rapid heat
-flux buildup which follows ignition.

(U) An approximate technique for calculating the "equivalent uniaxial"

strain resulting from these tube-wall, multiaxial strains was developed.

The uniaxial strain referred to here is the plastic strain in a low-cycle

fatigue test measured along the axis of applied cyclic mechanical strain.
An analyticul relationship between the tube wall plastic strains and the
plastic strain of a laboratory fatigue test is thus established. A tube
life prediction based on laboratory test data is tlen possible.

(U) Since the test objective uas the accurate modeling of the Demonstrator
thrust chamber thermal fatigue, the most important criterion of test de-
sign was that the maximum value of the gas--wall cyclic plastic strain be
re,)roduced in the test segment. Other important test design criteria were
the simulation of the cyclic temperature range which the Demonstrator tube
fras wall experiences, and the simulation of the tube-wall environmental
conlitioI08. These environmental conditions included those experienced
during fabrication as well as those during operotion. A high tube-wall
pressure stress in combination with cyclic thermal s-rain can also be
critical, causin, the axial crack fatigue failure mode to predominate
over the transverse crack failure mode.. This complex fatigue-creep failure
mode was effectively simulated on the tube tester, described later. In
the selection of the ').5K seament cycling test conditions. 'onsiderat.ion
was given to all of the above criteria so that these life parameters for
the Demonstrator Module vere simultaneously matched as closely as possible
in the :).5K segmenit.

25 "
,•, ,.•.,.-- o• ....... ... ........... ... ..:- )-05(
10.

S.
. ... . . . . . . .. . . . . . " :" -/A
 (U) The throat tubes of the Demonstrator Module outer body were selected
as the reference base for test design because the operating conditions of
the outer body tubes afford a more basic limitation to the thermal fatigue
kA.C
Lt Xi nUil4 utnor

(C) The 2.5K segment test conditions were selected to simulate the Demon-
strator gas-wall thermal cycle in combination with the pressure stress.
It was again found that a good correlation was realized when chamber pressure
was 1250 to 1350 psia at a mixture ratio of 4.5 to 6.0 with a coolant flow-
rate of about 1.0 to 1.2 lb/sec. The mean tube-wall temperature, and thus
the tube wall yield strength, was also found to be comparable at these
operating conditions.

Life Prediction

(U) Byuseof athemaal fatigue diagram with the computered cyclic plastic
strain, a tube-wall life in thermal cycles was predicted. This predicted
]ife was consistent with the Demonstrator Module restart requirements.

(U) Table 6 includes a calculated life simulation ratio for each test..
This number is defined as the raLio of the predicted life of the segment
thrust chamber cycling from -240 F to the peak heat transfer conditions of
that case to the predicted life of the Demonstrator outer body. Life
simulation ratios less than one indicate test conditions were more severe
than those expected on the Demonstrator Module design. The predicted lives
used to compute this ratio were in all cases obtained by identical use of
the plastic strain equations and fatigue diagram. Because the compuled

values of these ratios are less than unity for most cases, it was seen that
the segment operated under conditions which were, for the most part., more
severe from a thermal fatigue standpoint than the Demonstrator outer body.
(Some of the earlier tests in the series were less severe.)

26

. .•4;6.-w --

-, .. :

. - t4I*, ,- . " . . " . t_

:-..t.t . I.flriai,- s.-. v. .. .
 FLL

Experimental Life

(U) By observing the chamber throughout the test series, a record of the
fatigue progression was obtained. The geneval appearance of the overall

tube %saa gvlveiiiOlý

iv VACl Iiva aldliiivi' ~ fiatu
si uo S.u'-'p wr

oiilv noted in a oiarl'ow bauid near the throat. Oil somc tubes, initial

evidence of fatigue was also visible on sections near the injector. At

the conclusion of the testing (see Table 6 Testing) fatigue symptoms
(microcracks) were evident on til majority of tubes. Operation of thrust
chamber tubes containiii, go microcruchsg geltrally has notable effect on
chamber flows, cooling. or performance. This trait was again verified
during this test series. Comparison of the appearance of microcracks to
the analytical predictions showed good correlation. Analytical data had
predicted that 50 percent of the tubes would have microcracks after 264
cycles.

(U) There was a divergence in the appearance of the two sides of the
chamber. The fatigue indications oel Side Au followced an ordinary progres-
sion with microcracks appearing es waould
hie expected from the usual scatter

experienced in iherainal fatigue data . Oil Side B. it appea.r-ed thoat there 1niis
anl unhbalance in throa t tube-wal tempeirature such that a portion of tile
tubes were uaidee'roinrg hiiher than nominlu tviaipiera ui'e coniditionis1, while
tle rvisailnder of this side was opt1'akilltf at tempe'ratu.e- less severe thall

the nomina I. Midway througli the tsts, axial wicrocracks appea red oI a
smll ipereentoage of the tuhes on 8 ide II. These gradually developed into

Soulrces of leaikage as t(.st inrg coat it ed. All of these tubes appeared to

the left of the, centerlinmi of' Side Bi. wihile the tubes to the right of tlhe
Ceil e'linll, On S idl e IIý (jlejalliv indi(ated less fati gue than -ny other portion
of the chamber. The rn ason for this temperature unbbalance has miot boemi

accur-iclYv de•termined.

Nletallur-ic Ial"xomninal i 2li1

(U) % deta i led meta 1 Iurgi ca 1 examinat ion of the segment thrust chamiber

was conducted after test 313. The chamber was cut in half by sawing

(This page is Unclassified)

~ ~.~~~ ~ ---- '~ia~i-d~ ---- ---- - -

through the center of the copper side plates. Following photography of
the two chamber halves, additional saw cuts were wade to expose the throat
area tube hot and cold side to sterobinecular examination. This examina-
tion showed that no gross melting or erosion of the tube crowns in the
throat had occurred. All but five tubes in the A side appeared to have
microcraeks in the throat area. The appearance of the iubes was remarkably
uniform ot the A side. Unlike the A side, there was considerably more tube
crown damage in the left Aide of the throat of the B side than in the right
side. Extensive, highly localized metal movement had occurred in the hot-
gas surface of the tubes in thc A ard B side throat area, which is charac-
teristics of low-cycle thermal fatigue. The four tubes brazed to the copper
side.pla~es suffered axial cracks near the throat apparently caused by
additional restraint imposed by the side plates. On side B, these axial
cracks developed into major leaks during the latter tests.

(U) A metallog-aphic examination was made of secLions across the throat.

The hot-gas crowns showed an alternate increase and decrease oi thickness
which is typical of metal movement caused by thermal cycling. Typical
.variationi were between 0.010 and 0.015 inch compared to the original
0.012 inch. Examination at high magnification confirmed the lack of
sulfur contamination or braze alloy penetration. There was some erosion
damage to a few tubes which protruded about 0.020 inch into the combustion
zone. This erosion iz normal where direct flame impingement occurs.

(U) A microhardness survey was made at regular intervals along tihe section
of a tube at the throat. The observed variations in hardness are attri-
butable to strain cycling under variable conditions of temperature and
restraint around the tube crown.

(C) A thin black film had formed on the tube surfaces in the convergent
and throat areas. A spectrographic analysis of this film indicated that
this deposit contained no major component (over 10 percent); it contained
minor quantities of chromium, nickel, iron, copper, aluminum, gold, boron,
and other trace elements. No nickel corrosion products formed from the
TEA/TEB hypergol were found. The spectrographic analysis also confirmed
that the tubes were originally unalloyed nickel, with no alloy additions.

28

•~~ .-L• ~ :
 (U) There was genteral evidtence of themnal fatigue, wilit a few tubes split
by hoop st.r-esses. There were no fiilure-s from erosion and/or melting oif

tube crowns in the throat.

(c) The choice of braze all oy anid the brazing operation appear correct.
Tube uctting. wa!3 good, and Net the penetration of braze alloy into the"
nickel was almost nml. No diflrences in tube uateriais, fabrication, or
sTrvice-prtiaducsd metanlurvical rt
chanees could dn etocf d iba t1le t0 rout

a rea . The nickel tube seg.ment wits judgred to have been well made and

assembled, and to have good lif, performance in the test program.

Thrunst Chamber Tube T,'ster

(C) The obj•ective of the tube tester experiments was to evaluate the
thermnal fatigue life and hydraulic stress adtquacy of the nickel material
under simulaleid chamber operating conditions. Sume of the tests were
representative of owbei'ating conditions more severe in temnerature than
thuse anticipated tin the Demonstrator Medule and thus were conducted as

material limit tests.

(C) The electrica lII aed,

hfiet hydrogen--co ol Ivd. thet ima I fat i gue tube tes ter
vas the experituental tool used faar t;ese lests. Five thermal fatigmrit
temperatuie cyct' riig.'s we ir impl ,yevd either individually or in combina.-
liona to eva lualte six tulnlar Specimelnis. The t'mpeniture Cvcee ranges
were sele ct'd to (lemolstiate the lifti capability of Niclil 200 under
va ri ous c vc liie ellambe pressure opet'ra t i ng cotnd it i oils.

(C) The ftirst four tests we i'o dIvsi gni'd t1, Verify the thermal f1Li gue ]if-t
of Ilhe till-oat tille.'s wi 1 sub~jlected to a conltinuous s.eries of engine start--

s5top Se(ljliive(es. Two of these tests utili.-:d cyelic gas-wall temperatures

of 100 to PilO0 1', and thus alaproarned tilt' preidicted gas-wall temperature
range of the Demonstrator ti',>dule 1 htIot utihes. One spee imen was ill the,
tas r'eceivedi, "condlil I-ri, iiid cildition, whiie the other was furnace

jipr(ces!s -d with ttie resulting enlari iged grain size. Penetrating crack

29
_-K __ _ __ __O O D

6t *1I .-
 failures occurred at 315 cycles in the "as-received" specimen, while the
furnace-processed specimen was run a total of 320 ;~ycles without failure.
Fatigue cracks were intia ted, however, and further testing was deemed
unnecessary. These tests were run at temperai,ure conditions somewhat
less severe than the Demonstrator Moduie throat tubes (TWg i'P00 vs l520 i,
T = 100 vs -230 F, also a reduced heat flux); consequently, the induced
cyclic plastic strains were less.

(C) The other two engine start-stop sequence tests employed 0.012-inch

wali tubes in the furnace-processed conditioni with cyclic gas-wall tem--

peratures of about 100 to 1800 F. Such a temperature range on the Demon-
strator Module tubes would be representative of an ambient to over 2000
psi chamber pressure start cycle. The fatigue failures occurred at 142
and 1143 cycles.

Intermediate Thrott Ftigue Tests.

(C) Two other tests on a related program were intended to explore the
limits of the Nickel 200 tube material under iwore complex operating con-
ditious. Two cyclic temperature ranges were employed on the first specimen.
A cyclic temperature range of 620 to 1140 F was initially applied to the
specimen a total of 800 times with no evidence of failure. The sime
specimen was then additionally cyri]ed 193 times between 100 to 900 F.
Although the lieated tube crown still siowed no visible evidence of fatigue
cracks, testing was stopped because of a breakdo0m of the specimen in
i another area.

Steady-State Creep and Fatigue Tests.

(C) The la st test employed an 0.028--inch wal•••pecimen which was designved

for high heat flux continuous testing. The objective was ".o verify the
limits of Nickel 200 in combined thermul fatigue and hydraulic stress

i 30
NW
 6 n
VU EMl

induccd creep. A severe steady-state gas wall temperature cycling condi-

tion of 1365 to 11h35 F at 0 a frequency of about I cps, in combination with
a heat flux of 50 Btu/in.u,/sec and a hydraulic stress of 4500 psi, was
applied to the' specimen. Testing continued for 7 hours, accumulating
22,500 thermal cycle: without fract-ire or leaks. Routine inspection
revertled that microcrat:ks ,ere initiated, however, and further testing
uwa stopped. Table 7 snwnuirizcs the results of these thermal fatigue
tests.[

(U) A tube tester data reduction computer program aq.sa developed on separate
fanding. This program gave an accurate measure of the specimen wall tem--
perature drop. Included in the wall drop numerical solution were the
variables of thernmal and electrical conductivity with temperature, and
variable current distribution in the bimetallic bus bars,.

(U) A computation of the plastic strains was also included in the piogram,
based on the plastic strain anaiysis; the measured test gas wall cyclic
,emperature; and the program computed wall drop. These valueti are given
in Table 7 which also includet a computed equivalent fatigue life for
the demonstrator throat tubes. Thi-, computed life is based on an extra--
polation of the tube tester data, using the relationship NF = C,
where h was assumed to have a value of 1/2.

(u) it. is seen that the technique gave a lower life (about 1/.) for the Demon-
strator tubes than was realized in the 2.5K segment start-.-stop cycling tests.
This difference was attributed to non--uniform specimen tube croýn cyclic
hea ting in the tangential strain concentrations at the tube crown, anr-
perhaps other effects unresolved at this time. The "steady state"' creep

and tis
vvogu &tfsul LA, howeviVi ,wtrv Mutitoani in repsonubihw reurewen3vt
the Demonstrator tube life, if such "steady state" temperature fluctuatioas
we.re actually realized in service.

31

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32
 "AiLlIUATION 01' 250K COMIlUSTOIW5

DISoulPT ION
UiLU'JJA.Li f
(C) 'J'hc 25t11)F thrusts chwAIrm nsscrdl~y (Fig. 2 ) cons iri~s of c:oncenitricl
regenvralivclv cooled, inner arnd outer combustor assemblies lioning alrt
annuitla)tI chs-ui.t'lLl it;,adiul! t~o a conlvergijigth klroat (0.271 l~ithrutt gap• tit. a

snevurdinaiter of 91.0;0 inches). a shrouded outer tabular 'iall, and aij

iniei trbualar nozzio wall extendLng to a nozzle length equivalent to
11.3 per cent the length of a 15-degree, half-angle cone of the s$ue
area xatio. Each of the combustor assemblies is fabricated of 3P17
stainless stcl tubing brazed to a 304i, stainless steel structural
backr,'al I . 1 li)ozzle exit of the inner combustor contains a two-inlet
o ist• iba t 1 lmanife]tLd through which fuel cnters tire coolant tubes. A
collection manifold at the injector end is formed by the intrer combustor
tilrd injector. A simiivr coolant circuit exists on the outer comnbustor
tu tire discharge manaifold where 20 outlets distribute fuel to tire injector
assembly.

(U) The combustion chamber geumetry is 2 inches wide at the injector

arid has a 6-inch length from tire injector face to the throat. The chamber
walls are parallel down to a point approximately 4.5 inches downstream
of the injecter face, and then coavergge at a 40-degree angle.

(U) Radial and axial positioning of the inrrier combustor with the oute:
cowbustor is obtained by at Lachment to the injecLor through the use of
axial studs. Relative location is facilitated by shear lips at the
conibustor'/injector interface. B
(U) Provision is made to attach ar cight-point thrust mount support
assembly to the inside surface of the inner combustor, also a solid-wall
nrozzle eAtensioin at the exit plane of the inner nozzle representing a
25 per cent nozzle length. The perforated base closure for secondary
flow attaches at tie exit plane of the nozzle extension.

33
Fuiv2. 2501i.Thir it Chambev
TIliLUST CIHAMBE IUBE PIIOCESSING

(U) Properties which had to be eoitrolled in the thrust chamber tubing

were formability (strength and ductility), wall thickness, surface defect!s,
cross-section geometry, and grain structure (grain size. intergranular

attack). It was also necessary to maintain traceability on tubing so that

all inspection for these items can bc rclated to slpvcific tubes.

(U) Control of the necessary fabrication parameters ilvolved development

in several areas, primarily because of the thin wall and small diameters
(0.080 inch) of the tubing. Devtdopment work was performed on tapering
methods to ensure defect-free tubing with correct surface finishes in the

small sizes. Improved cleaning methods were established to reach the

minute small tube ID surfaces.

The basic process steps and major inspection points established were:

1. Raw m•terial procurement

2. Ro, ma't:erial inspection--metallography and physical test

3. Tapering

4. Solvent cleaning

5. Annealing

6. ietallographic sampling and expansion testing

7. Solvent cleaning

8. Preforming

9. Solvent cleaning

10. Annealing

11. Metailographic sampling

12. High-pressure die forming

13. Solvent cleaning

14. Final inspection, dimensional-metallographic

15. Flow testing

3j

. -
= -- o.__l.. ".. .... •- .. .. - _ " °-

(U) uh, Material. Welded and drawn type *1v7 stainless-steel tubing
manfuetured from air melted strip was specified for use as coolant pas-
sage tubes on the inner wall and outer wall combustor bodies.

(IT) The raw tubing for the combustor tubes was procured by the tapering

vendor. (La Fielle Manufacturing Co.) Tubing with a 0.12"-inch diameter

by 0.Ott-inch wall and 20 iniches olong was recei.ved fur fabrication of the
ouler combustor body tubes. Tubing with a 0.152-inch OD by (1.011-inch
wall thickness. aun!d IJ0-inch length wv,ýa used for the inner combustor body

tubes. Identification by lot atuaber was maintained ott individual tubes

throughout the complete fabrication process. Subsequently, a taper lo,-
niumjbei' was added to this identification number. A fluorescent penetranit
inspection was performed ott 100 percent of the raw tube by the tapering

vendor. Less than 10 percent of the tubing was rejected because of

indic at Ioils.

(U) Taperiti. Although some experience had been gained in the tapering
of type 347 stainless-steel aerospike configuration tubes during previous
segMcnt test programs, no experience in the fabrication of tapered wall
tubes of an overall length comparable to the inner combustor tubes was
available. Very little experience was available in producing tubes to the
required configuration with a tapered wall. With these facts in mind, close
surveillance vas maintained during experimental tapering and preproduction
runs of 590 tubes of each configuration"

(U1) To impose maximnun controt upon a process that is uroprietary with

the tape ing source and still ensure a reasonably inexpensive tubing of
hligh%qnal-ily, ti processý-ing, specif ication ias iss-ued which required a test
for plastic deformationm by tigh-pressure die-Ž forming. Final acceptance
criteria were based upon the actual high-pres-ture die forming of a repre-
sentative sample from each lot of tapered tubes after receival.

36 -

'•.I
 (u)I ets flu-gical evaluation of experinaental and pruproducj? on runs of
tapered outer tubcs indicatetd that the tube could be .:ucesfuj. i•,ade Ji
one pass without, rejectable defects. llowu,,vei. the Of's up both tube eon-
figurat iou were undersize as rmuch as 0.001 itch in v•'ca• wlich .,cre n,ot
tapered. It ,vvs detcrmincd that the undersjac convaicit n .av c-auied by the

h.,gh axial loads injpoed upoii the titbe duria•g ore-pis. f-,erltg to achieve
a {6j~vodwa•i Wi~ iDo:.JscJ1 ~~L. .randarl-c i-Ul~eril'k- uj;,;n is too

large). The OD variations were accepted.

(C) This local diameter reduction had a markho ctt-ct upet;, Ct3( wall thick- .,

nless at the area of maximlumi taper. Althojugh a nirniaal wail thickm'ss oif
0.(bO0 inch was the objective & tihe tol;"ring ieodor, the dimeusion was
extremely difficult to achieve., The vawla.1hi(nocss, as determined by
mAtal lographic exmbintition oO tub,.:s of bloil; ý:afiguravtions during pi lot
and preproduction runs, was between 0.0005 and D).0092 iach.

(U) Tapering a tub- iith a tapered wa,.i and 31so requiring an 1D su,'face
roughness with specific values in ihe axen o-. maximumi d.ia•eLer reduction
(the wall is also at smallest din.oion here) x;as a unique task. By the
nature of the process itseflf, tapiring the tube wall tends t, reduce ID
"surface gathering ard thus redues surface roughness. Results of measure-
ments mrade on tubes from. te rilt and preproductic- ravis revealed th-,L
rvalues between ?13 and 7'. rMus conul be obtai.ned on the o-'ter tubes and 4.7
to 72 rns on the inner tubes,. These values wer-:e srbzequentl"; accented for
the production rnu i of tubee,.

' 1 r)Pry tri-,.h Pr,''P%-•,•:,j i a Yid nn-nn

o+ the ,1w'p- -'c1 i , iz -" cut-err
nd e,
tubes u;as performed at the tapering vendor's facilit. Sulsequict to pre--
.fming
, and inspection for contour and s3ta.tion bocatuiony, the tubes wc:co
Cleaned and final annealed. The fimnl anmaeal aftte tie prefm operation

vas necessary because incontistent finol t ube du.mnnsaoxns were obtain(ed

t"" the initial h igV-pressue die fortsitpg of bL. b
fer ;)e configurations.
af ter . .. F, SI

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• . .I1,. . : -; - -' .. .;. . _..._I . -.. -.. ,.---., '-.---' -,--• . .-. i.,.•.

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.. :., d.. ,. ,• . ,., . .... •, :..• .. ,....,, ,.• ", ,, . ,. . . . :• e • o •, :., •,'. ',• A . ,, ,,.&.
 (U) Subsequent to the annealing of the preformed tubes, five tubes from
each manufacturirg lot were exar:ined metallurgically for compliance with
thicknoss, defecrt ]ic..cl, and microstructure requirements.

( Llij h-.Ire-tsure Pic Forming. Hfigh-pressure die forming of the tbes C

to final form was considered a major advance by Rocketdyne. Although
l.ocketds.ne has had comprehensive experience in high-pre sure die forming
ef, onvcn-•-ioni.l rocket nuzzle coolant tubes, no experience in the high-
pressure die forming of aerospike-size tubes was available at the inception
of the program.

Each inner and outer tube, by engineering requirement, was subjected to

a flow check with close tolerances between minimum and mztximum flow values

frjm tub2-to--tube, Also the large number of tubes (3700) in a combustor

: body, with attendatnt tolerance accumulations, dmandced forming accuracy.

"Prenroditction lots of 500 tubes of each configuration were used to develop

Sth.e forming techniques.

"(U) 'To assist in expediting the die-forming operation, an epoxy potting

compound was injected into the closed die set. The tube facsimile pro-
duced was then subjected to metallographie examination by removing cross
*sect.ions at critical station locatioas, Photo-_acrg.raphs of the cross.-
section configuration were made and used to assist in finishing the die
cavities to final shape.

,,n, InIAiaL• kigi-pre, su.e die of the outer and inner tube prepro-
.erming,

".duction lots produced many tube failures. A eubstantial number of tubes

plit. longitudinally during the forming operatiion axed an investigntion was

I 'i (,Olduchttdto determine the cause. Metallurgical evaluafson indicated that

the splits resulted from the propagation of O.O ran tube defects (Fig. 3

a, nd 4). Investigatio-i t.f the processing hýistory at the tapering vendor

.. showed that•a substantial of rp,
.uauntity tmubinq. in the first few lots re-

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ceived had not been flash pickled prior to penetrant inspection. Flash pick-
ling was added to raw tube inspection requirements for production runs when
it was determined tht belt polishing on the 0D of the tubes at the mill had
smeared the surfaces so that fluoiescent penctrant inspection was invalid.

(U) The fact that tubes sylit in the dic denonstrated the necessity of"
using the high-pressure dic--forming operation as a final acceptance criterioxI
for tapered and preformed tubes. Othcrwise, a large number of defective tubes

could have been purchias.•d before the problem was discovered.

(U) To establish a relationship between uall thickness and fiow values,

a number of high-pressure, die-formed tlbes of each configuration were

flow tested, and then measured metallograr'hically at critical stations

(]ig. 4 ) for wall thickness and ID. Photomi.r.rographs of the control-
ling cross section fron each tube ,ere inade at exaci ",-unificatiouts. These

phiotograplis were used to detenaine the flow areas. Although care was ex-
ercised to produce a die cavity ,hich would form tubes with a correct cross-
section configuration, tubes of both inner and outer shapes di not completely
mjeet the final shape. The area of nonconformance ),Is limited, however, to
the circular cross section in the throat area (area of maximuL,2i rediction).
A perfect semicircular cavity is difficult to sink in a aie with a shallow
cavity 0,039 inch deep in cach die half.

(U) Final Cleaning of Finished Tubes. In preparation for the furnace

brazing of the tabes into combustor body a_,,semblies, requirements were
established for cleaning and handling of the tubes subsequent to fabrica-
tion and final inspection and imamediateiy prior to shipment to the white

roorL.

(U) Because of the unique configuraticn of the tubes and the extremely
small ID's, specialized proceseing facilities and procedures were necessary.
Combination vapor degreasing and flushing fixtures specifically developed
for the finish-for-med tubes were used to remove shop soil and ECM dielectric
fluid from the tubes. To accomplish this cleaning operation, the tubes were

(This page is Unclassified)

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42)
vapor-spray-vapor dcgreased in trichloroethylene for a minirmun of to minutes.
Trichloroethylene was also flushed through the tubes at a minimunm of 200
milliliters per tube. Periodic checks of the fluid were made to ct.sur,
that nonvolatile residues, as detected by infrared analysis, vere kept-
below a sApecified .-.a.ximma• level.

(U) Final surface preparation was Effected by means of na scii descalc.

The solution used in this operation consisted of the following constituents:

4 to 6 percent hydrofluoric acid (30 degrees Baimae)

20 to 25 percent. nitric acid (42 degrecs Daumet') per 0--N-350
Balance, deionized water (50,000 ohm-cra lain)

(U) A specialized facility for accomplislhing the desca).e was constructed;

it consisted of a set of specialized hiolding racks and tank:.. The descatc
operation was followed by rinsing in tap water., deionized water, then an

oven bake to dry.

Problems Eacountered D)uring Fabrication of the Tubes

(U) Fickle Attach and Carburization. The final suiface preljoration oper-

ations (acid descale, prebraze pickle) perJormed on finish--ed outer tubes

were brought to an immediate step whern it was discovered that one tube in
a rack of 96 pickled tubes ha! one end dissolved off by the acid& At the

t.- lhc
0 Cj. , .. w aue prexi.teiy .29,V. uu1r i ubes had beer?
through the pickle operation and were on racks in the white room.

(U) Metallurgical eialuation of a number of these {-tubes revealed severe

intergreaular attack, intergranular carbide precipitation in gra in boundaries,
and carboni contents of 0.4 Ipercent carbon in the areas of failure (normal

43

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lti lve ( Li
" C a (I il k,;~if ull Chi t prc-a llriri l clIeCal I ig ol thie

Iitit Ir j ilt i ieI1 i eitiont Thlie ItulwS were cI ca-led i l 131111t] C- , I-at w tkilin

diivi dui I v, Which preveli tul comllj!ete rernoii) oI the

Hc bri clif 53 from tire tilliec-

iup opeca t ion. eu n aararina irg and ulebra/, pick Ii rig reou Iled in tire
'os or !sniuf tv a rrlrrwarMCC caLUSed bY ci-iirri zilt ionl (V ii (I7 and ~
lin iiddili art, i t was di S crxei ci tinat rtire "Agra-Shle I' exit seal, used Urt the

j
ldIO'J u rliae e at t ile itirer rug V'elldot ISt ta ighirtapered I ribe!5
toi alritle

wits Ilarr~t I. II i( he i I part. Ic I e seal i ýs a it

staild td devi ce oil wost Cull initloi.

lioe l IrI~jtj1EalI i fulrnac esý 111e seal vlicit colns a ts of very vgai~ LII

rusiredI pairtic 1es of witio f. shte]l1s mIust be

h (lCtratilt
wiw by til(, tubes a~s t hvY

leaw e the furnac e cooling jacket . Shtell parIici es Were intitroduc ed into trhie
11D of the tubes during this ojnrrat ion. Laboratory tea-ts ;evealed t~hat ainucitl-
tiw witx'1ln
tubeCsit1 1n t sheI Iis 3ed c arbu r i z a i1) n andr
can si hia t sul1)s eqiueirt pre-

braze pi ckl iurp 1 roduc ed int~ergranuluIar prick le at.ack, at- slrrmn iii 1 ig. 5.

(Ui) To prrevcerr recurrence of thins problemII, muajor rev ision0-u were nailaot' o

thIie ta I c rePd a nd1 re4?four m ed tu 1)e 1pro es s i Ig s1)e c if ic at ion. Trese re%'is~onus
reqjuired the reverse f lushing ci' the ID) of straight, tapered tubes sre

(juent. to elach anneal iii a continjuous furnace. Pre-anneitl c.I eLnijg, oif pre -

formed tubes was revised s6 that a v.ap'rr-spray-vapor degrease with conlcur-I

rent ID f lushing usirg f ixtures to accomlnl ish the f lush was_ reqrzirerl illt
mnanner simiular to that specified for final cleaninlg of filrislr-fortned tubes.

(UIt became apparent thrioughr a series of brazing tests that successful

tubes by pickling. Sinice 2300 outer tubes or approximately 60 percent of

one cmutrbd' OpCeto ue a led enepsdt h

-- .- .4''.-- A -. .4, - - ~ 4~>44

 d)I
0 4,
)

4I V-, 4
- 1
j r~ w re 0-4

:-' a'

0 4

42 ~~ L.' t-. i~41 ~ C 4

?A t4)L '5 .- 4 4

'A d 1
-'-4 ' a4,. 0'j

-- 0<4
0) -4

C' t _ t IJ+ >4--

SC) (11 ) W
ko . .Q3 -A M
e LAt
q1 c

WC0- .I, -. q)f. t~

"IL, ,q g

41-

CO 0

0*

d..

443
4 2 1/) r 4)

C4 ' 1
 ii f-] V, it w a ]m
!i riC.sns'i'ry to dt 1,4
e iive whi. (lrhet01 I'.t I riWyofI ) e'

tu es c(11 1I be il l. •Xi "tl] 4xan1iii oll hai dt.'s e'i on1J a SihldI I ji''-

ce'itI',ia j III %j
i! al 11(d1ical ioilis l p tick] V C.,•.L.

(iU) An ill (' ha'unii 111('(,1 til HeIhuod WaL dc'.'eoi- ped which iiis cap bjale
C l
d ehectilig :- eI, IC atL.toc, Morl'le thOul U.(a.7 JiLCih in deplth.

(F') Wihit he Idlwleedge that t ciosiiderabl,, nitibet of tubas tihi( ii hal not
bceen eXpou3ed Cu pr'ebraze pichle ,ereCal burizcd and tima. theo,e tubes wou d
be used( i I i I)r ca I 1oil of t1bhe t.imbo-tor b odies, eli•'V ( iC t C .ini 'I te.5
,i I ili
Wati (oltdlctCc uon arlurizo ed lubcs. thesie dota were essetlial iii estab Ish-
Ing the CiiekI; of carba iizitioC n on the per arl'illiat c ' Ilie coolant tubes
tdurinm, hot-fjirig telst,4. Bet';ius- aldeqml~ite la.tal were availaible' con(cerning
'room anld eli'a•,ed temj)ctri;tiire tensile piroperties of corburized type 5i17

Fstaini] us s si .e] ,ionly vcryogenic teSti g was performed.

(17) Thie result:< of the cryogenic tests conducted at -2)00 and -32') F dis-
ci ostid fiIat ino signif'1icaliat changes ill im1e1chanii cal propertties between un-
,arburizsod and crburi'zed tdlies were evident when carburiz'id tidihe were
cxposi•to
tfurjinae |irazinig cyev1s (spec imncs actually accomipanied anl inner
body through braze cycle) prior to test..

lilt.VING 01' TUBES TO COMBUISTOR BODIES

~raze l:ooling

-() het.ttiuis f hilnnerll braze assembLY tooling employed inflatable sLaiutless-

-steel pressure bags to hold the thrust chamber tubing in place during brazing.
The bags were attached tii rigid backing rings, four rings on the outer wall
atud seven rings on the inner wall. Sufficient tube area 'was covered by the
pressure bags, backed by the rings, to prevent tube movement; yet, suifficienLt
space remainedi open between pressure bag rings to alluw physical verifica-
-ion (by moving tubes) of tube-to-body fit. The space bet-ween rings also
provides free circulatiov of the furnace atmosphere for cleaniliness and

46
 tvilperlhie drin,
ulit~rmiy brzin. Amin lelrge plres.ure hag covers n',
emiss
clure- unic Uýtlrmace3 ,aS uS ad osl cosventtional bel I -shajedehlanhers, w'oulId

11i LIL tUeIrIZitraLure ill Sunsi a,, ury this peeper tulbing l ocatLion i-s ina inta ired
Wi tioutt cruLshihfg tile IlIsC.es at elevatled Lemlijra tore. Proper tuse or the~ bags).
reps i red 1(550w 1 dg.-ý ol tile ire1la t ionshipi) M tA'QCIIr ~i t~ersia I JIressu.re and cx-
turnia I fores s thbroughs the na~b jelL to 2000 1 tenomp-oinLre rss gf . Knowledge
01 t.inI elevsaLed tempera tare s ti'eingth of' ill" If jt 3'7 saisss-teltbn
under transýverse- COblisjCessive loads wais aI so Itecessarv.

(U) A sex i us of I abortstoi% test s was coniduc tell on boho piressusre isri force
re lelot ihossips, axsd I abc crusts jag in rerst, ls . 3Av threcpejss5Urc2 bugip i-,ps
ase:ffi? ciotiv I "C J51' s5U1( areas arle sisown15 7. Thea prus 'bUrv ~a
are s-howin ill P'ig. 7. assd typical data0 from thle jest series aore Showun ils
i'ig.8. flie famji%- If - --i'-lrves .siosl the reqsuiredi interna! bap, jsie ssurc

to obtains specific for~cesý on tine tubinig at 20O0 1' ansd at sever:al inter-

snadi ate temperatures.-:

(U) Tube-crushisn~g exper ilruents we rs' rusn at bo ths as-tibcnt andi ci eva ed temper-
a tires. At nintbicist te-pera Lure, it. was found ima L tile ismesarsre bags would
dci orsal grusl
5 15' ithout Anie amage as ri g- to- tubeciclaranseus- dcc rca sec ann
farces increased. At ai ter-pcralusre of 2000 F, its- tubhing, fisrued to tllsriss c
chamber shapest and sizes, p.roved capable of supporting 50 psi (projecctedI
surun-f ir'ekt of the tube e ou)without si gsn iitUla I deJUtIOnu i. on. The foreCe s
required toa holId the tube.,- in pla ce atU 201)0 F' are- smuch less thans 50 1)sit,
indicating at siti staetorŽ margims of Safety at all tesmpe~ratures. -

(U
(L) The expe-rimenital1 data oiltepesr bags and tube strvnlgths were I
iii thec furnace, brazinig operation.
 77?
t :'i 7

IV
"I ~ A M

r Ye * t Three l'resourc 1Bag Con!ig-ura Ii ns T'es ted ini Utha Lqllpiia ory
~for IPressutrc Respouse and EfficIciency. Areas Ericire led oin
Bags Represent lhag-tao-Titbe Coxitac t Area When P'ressuri zed -
TUnder Simunlatecd Bra z ing Cond it ionis. Pill ow- Ty-pe Bag "A",
Above, was the Design Selected for Production Tooling Be-
cause oi Less Rigidity and a Continuous Tube CuuL~ac i Areal
as Opposed to Designs With Diagonal Expansion Grooves as
Shown in "B" and "C"
 LUU

2'
0
I 1- 1-0

.. 1/8... INC CH RE ER ..

2 4 10 12 14 16 18"--
ARGON IN BAG, PSI ':

Fi g-l'e 8. tIn
t e r lia l P re 'ss u1r e N'- L,;xte r lna l V~or v utf o( I- a l - )]•, 3 :! x 0)-5,'!
Flat. Pi'vs•.re ]Bal,•T

/ .
 (11) ti e' of
i1cah .1fbri cat i g tw- tidniti atiitflit chIamaber ismcibllies

unn 4 hidied illtin I IvY i 01One pprca

na t fac tol iti mind -- th.e program ca!led

lor f abrica tion o f two comipi e Le' asslab 11J vki ws t,

I 11 a! .wlO I,: fo
This mieanit. that4 rigorouq p1,1,111161g, 11nd pireprodlic Iio dev ii opoacn 4.iwc e Ile-

api i red, techniquies Iainai-du us to the a i!3embl vUI i d to 'ae a voi ded , ititd iso ik

(11) A dletailedi breze proces~s dlevel 'opilet piograla was penrfulied to ma1ximize
tiL., pro cc ss ag rc Iinohiii ty auid witi1Lmfi7,C the oc urrene e of probl1ems~ duiring
* fi-bvica tion.

* (U) Thae 90Ag-IUOd braze alloy was; slOvctevd for. use its at prnimary Jbraze a1110',
foi- the type 347 s ojlOssIe1tube combul~lstors . Thias was based ona it s
geieral ly good brazing eliaractcriW4.,s 11nd( its iaegl igib] e 'aggrcsslveoless-
to the tube hO trial ov1 r Icg iiigh-tveiiijera turc braOze Operaions
lonI 01. It is

ini current. use 00 the J-2 product ioulitrust clounber a n'l va s suce'es sfil lvl
used on flhe 4jK toroida.I this chiaiibIer.

(U) The 82Aku-l8Ni braze alloy uns selected for use as the secuizudary braze
alloy for I-he type 3)j7 stainless-steel tube combuiitors, based also oni ex-
tensivuy RocIheidyne bacliground wi th thits a~lloy and miuiimn I ra ct ion iwith
tYpe YC stainiless tubing.

Bi~ize Process Developimnvit, Initial T'ýst Pro ram

(Li) Thrust. chomiber brajziig tests were prepared uitilizi'/ng two 1il i-i1-engi A
b., 2-inch wide outer and innier tube and body segments. Tyipe 34,7 stainless-
stecl tubes w-_rc used d&iriiig the test program. MaJor test objectives wure
to:

1. Detertaine the correct amount. oi alloy to be prepliaced on the

6ssemb I i es
 2. Lva mil tat bcid-to-body' mi(I tulm-t-un-ld vIting seai hgl-' cu;!iiti iIies

[Nalutt.lllt (liudo~s bi, pitveli t brlIzI.

I. ill I(Y Illtbe Ji ugg illp

t
I Niod fur 1lefl--.;*''**'
1' RU13 '-0-6 HOA14-P"d 1~1io%

vire wilei cte ill allIoy groovu!5 mlachlwim il li't i Ilcv-platedI budli c-
he
and( J.U002--ililch--tlickl ~i. ,uldedI to the tuabe cuhlt11e
brazu sheet wabspt suriI'iiI(M
fou' f iil-Lt-evvL b1'ikill:!.

(Ui) Grecen "topi-14l %.;I- pa i itte ilnside tile ilespli iii to ~imviiib I v. 'Ico

set., (oluter aild illier wol coi

eaiguirat ionl; compri sill'
tig :st) ol body eg
mviliis were as~b '1wjith IN'pv Yj -stain Iv s-s (ccI tuibv,3 Silmuilakted i tije or

and eŽx it r ing seglileli ts hucre not a sscmb led until the secondi- cyce preuiparation.

(F) Triangular nilehel fiillers wee ti Ii ''d to filIt must of flit, space lo'-

currihig be (wean tubes andl flat su efac C:i ofbttie ad iu gs1 Various- I cng t us
all( a tt aveltictt poiasItiolls, Wch'c exaIoa ii W,'t
itVS UVs 118m h~i lit ItS ul luJ'iiI
thk i'.S
fur sealling vi Ltl and ui tiout liii eke powd~cr w.a s~ltc a rlolilil iii iil.

(P) F x turing 0f1'1wL !.estil1le boaiy was j'erfunIileti bY s traj ping Illdois o( thbc
body atI pres~sure ba- l ocatiouns . ligurv 9 Situxwe t'[, first srt of teust seg-
mvnlis readly for Iirst-.evelc brazing,,. The two sets '.ert t'i .x ired for both
braiz ii ug ryu los ill the i tiject' or VIiA dulwn 11uo i Li on.

(I') Tent JiesultIs. Thre alloby wire prep laced ill bl d groiuvies oniffi
tIreIis
Se~t )jf Segmenvits appicared. to g i 'e Suffif c iont 11 o.N' for bond hilg o--m-epd for~
tile exitI end of the inner-bodY sepmeiiL. Ali addijtionoal II oN groove wasý
vilovet to thle oti
;CCOI sgiiiciIt ahul ýuljsuqljvni Iresul Its wore sa Itislact'oiN. A
dIrawing rhiango was mrad1e to addI the grooive to both i hitle atud ouiter liitlii'ý
oil productiioil hardwarie.* No a1lloy joa si was addedl't to tithe-tu- tube Jonint s
Onl ally of flite test segilleil (5.

(This page is Unclassified)

 ,'
.!i ] b IiJj
x C\ inn r in f-s ri I4 }F
inn v-nfl
bIL
fl

'I
t

I I
I

I
 () tUti1izaa ion of' triangular nickel fillers proved to be elfe( Live as a

sealing plu" between tubes and flat body and ring surfaces. Fillers at

tile lower end (as-brazed) of' vertical joints would usually seal during tire

first braze cycle. Hlowever, if the joint. v'as on top, capilla'y forces usually

Vere not sufficii nt to maintoain braze alloy around the fillers to seal the

joint during the first cycle, Fr gure 9 shews an in.jector end tube-to-body

joint completely sealed in ore cycle. Figure 10 shows a typical exit eno,

lr1ir.- t.o-body 3oint that required two cycles to seal. The use of nickel

powder around fillers on first cy'cle joints was avoided so that additional

alloy coul d feed unrestrictedly into tire joints during the second braze

cycle. Nickel pow•der paste ias required to obtain a seal on second-cycle

joints. lci1lers were attoched b% Loth spot-we] ding and by hooking one end

to retain them in a joint. Both methods were effective.

(U) On tie euri.ent, series cf development tests, green stop-off was 6uc-
ceasiull-" used to restrict braze alloy flow into the tubes. Previous

experience liar shown it to be effective in liimiting alloy flow. It was

also noted that tire possibility of alloy runoff catering tile tubes at

the lower ?nd of tire assemblies was very probably averted by the triangular
nick.el fitler%; thich directed the flow of a]loy away froan the tube ends and

down the body, Figure 11 shows the direction of braze runoff flow. More

,ork has been done to prevent tube plugging and is reported in the section

031 Tn-Process Developaient Tests.

Tn-Process 2 1ýen
Develo, tTe sts

(lr) Various brazing tcest.,s were perfortned during hardware fabrication to

... V...'i.r
T-. 1rovo, nc w-wg•e or r:xere ,nin problh 11 s 5 hoy weore o n ountered, nino nf

the tests were lengthy but a;e described briefly in the following sections.

1. R!ejLyir of Holes in Tubes caused by arc turns, accidental blows by

sharp tools, etc.

Test Prece•.due: Simulated holes in tubes were furnace braze re-

paired utilizing nickel sheet lap patches of 0.002-, 0.004-, and

53

•- ............. V .. .f. .4fAALhlt .-.

II

*V
o

c-)u

--

ii
544
 Upper End Tube-to-
~ Body Joint was Un-
sealed After the
First Cycle. F Illers
Were Installed By
Both. 11ook.ing and '.'
Welding Prior to Brazing

I . ,t-7r1

7.Spec iraen Shown Above

w'as Prepared for
Second-Cycle Brazing
by Preplacing Nickel
W ]Powder Paste Around
"Fillers :o Seal the
JoinL. Joint was
Capped With Fillet
of Second-Cycle Alloy
Paste as Shown at Left

Tube-to-Body Joint
is Shown Completely
Sealed After Second-
fYnLn mow-mum

Figure 11. Typical. Exit End Tube-to-Body Joint

55

Nt- - k . ..- ,, .
 U

II

RAG: 3X

Figure 12. Outer Wa]l1 Segment, Injector L'nd. Arrows Show Direction of
Lxcess Alloy Run-Off Flow Away From Tube Ends and Down the
Body By Following Paths, Cre-atcd By the Nickiel l-'lr•

56

a ~-- -.
 U

0.006-inch thickness, pressure test cyclic loaded, and pressurized

to destr',ntion.
Rhsults: lBraze appearance was satisfactory. No restrictions in
tubes. All samples ruptured in parent tube material. Figure 13
shows typical brazed tube specimens that were evaluated. Table 8
lists brazed lap patch test data. The lap patch repair nethod
was accepted for use on damaged tubes.

2. Improved Nickel I'owder Binder

Reason for Test. Nickel powder in R-2 Binder paste vehicle (a
polybutene base braze alloy binder) was not easily worked into
jointo.
Test Procedure: Carbopol vehicle (a water soluble sunpending

agent) used in the p~ast was reviewed for the present application.
Nickel paste was mixed with Carbopol and washed into test joints
with a water-wet brush and capped with braze alloy paste. Samples
were brazed and checked for effect on tube material and nickel
powder placement.
Results: Nickel powder in Carbopol binder was sufficiently work-
able to produce desired nickel fillets. Binder was changed from
11-2 to Carbopol as nickel powder vehicle on all inner and outer
combustor assemblies.

3. Wide-Gap Brazing Material

Reason for Test: Wide gaps under exit rings after the first braze
cycle require filler powder addition around shims. Use of nickel
powder could result in porous, leaking joints.
Test Procedure: Combine braze alloy powder with other filler
powders in various amounts and note braze results including braze
bond and nornsit loy1l,

Results: Combination of 66 percent braze alloy (second cycle

82Au-18Ni alloy), 17 percent 90Ag-lOPd, and 17 percent pure nickel
in powder form resulted in an effective wide-gap brazing material.
Some minor porosity was noted. The material was used as a filler
in gaps under exit end rings on units No. I and 2 inner and outer
assemblies.

57
 -"- -
A**1 ii

I|

F'igure -13. Ty"pical 3117 Stai'll-s-Steel Tebt SPecin](Is !%'it!' O."O2-11",lh

Nickel Sheet Piatc:h (Arrow) iErazed Over O.030-Inchl Hlole in

Tube. ]Iydrostatic lPressure Test Failure Occurred in AdjatcentL
O.O1l-Inch Tube-h-l'll Mlaterial

Figre
Stinls-tee 3 ypial )iTst pecmes Wth .UL-hic

Nickl SeetPatc
Brzed ver0.00-]
(Arow ichho c i

la lur Ocurrd inAd-cen

HyrostticPresureTes
Tube
58
0.011-Inch
Mtra TueWl
 0 C) 0 0Oa-1= 0 C- 0
o 0 0 OX C) 0 0
%Q r.~ 00

(4-44 Q)

a~r Q ) l C 1) - C)ý I) .4 In

0 020 0 W W g a) C)

In c 'J-l9 LC'*-A ICV. C'93 . eu---- -4~

Lnvý- CJ CI---- N 1- ,

~MW

-0~ - 1

0)
0 WU2 2 0 __ __ __.___ C.)___

t4-' +

cc~~~ r- 4

E-4 k Q 4 C0a)

1*7.4
0 00
CDCr.c)0
0 D Z 0 0 0 - -4C

_____________
, Si I cI.r- Pall ad i urI SI Iims
Rleason for Test: Sporadic tube-to-tube gaps in throat region after
th1• fii ri, cycle xrequired shiimming. A better heat transfer

waterial than nickel was desired.

1esl Procedtire: 90Ag-1l0Pd braze alloy wire was flattened to form

shim inserts. Braze tests were performed to note braze quality.

PoI.der filler m:iaterial around shinis was also evaluated.
Resul ts: 90Ag-IOPd shims at!n powder brazed successfully anl were
used on assenmblies 2 inche:- forwa,'d andtit aft of the throat in tube-
to-tube gaps. 90AL--101d powder wa-5 u.sed around shims on inller and
oute'r units No. 1. Nickel powder uas used around shinms on both
No. 2 units.

]Reason for Tesi : Tube plugging from second-cycle alloy was ex-
perienced. An effective stop-off was needed.
Test Procedure: Thrust chamber tube ends were coated or plugged
i;ith various inhibitors and oxidizing media. Tube ends were en-
veloped in braze alloy paate and were brazed duplicating time and
*tei:lprature above braze solidus temperature used on production
hardware.
Ilesul Cs: CaO powder added to It-] Binder was -rund to be effectie
and w.as used on inner and outer units No. 1 and 2.

. i-ir-t Cycle Alioy li.eelt. Tests

Reason for Test: Determine renmelt temperature of 9OAg-lOPd first-
cycle braze alloy as affected by: (1) brazing with 32Au-lSNi alloy,
and (2) an expeeted increase in silver composition as the alloy
flows, resulting in a corresponding drop in melting point.
Test Procedure: Apply second-cycle alloys over prebrazed first.-
cycle alloy. Braze at increasingly higher temperatures until
reielt is noted. Determine analysis of alloy runoff on first
production assembly and related rermelt temperature.

60

a A
 Re ju]ts: Tests with the second-c'•Ie Lilloy over 90Ag-lOPd braze
deposits showed no rewelt below 1835 F. Melting tcriperaiures of
alloy sampler -ere:

So 1iduis iJ qu iduhs

Tempera hire, Tempera ture,

Saudi) I" 11 Percent Pd

New g)0Atg-iJl'd Alloy 182'] 1909 9.98

ri un-vff Sample 1 S37 1857 8.50

Alloy rewelt temperature vas determined to be abvve brazing

temperature range for the second-cycle allo)'.

Brazing, Outer Waý..... i.•nit, NO. I

(U) Assembly Preparation. Assembly preparation benn with the application

of green stop.-off to threaded holes and otiher surfaces on the body where

braze alloy flow was prohibited. The attachment of braze alloy wire in
machined grooves on the body followed, and braze alloy sheet was spot-welded

to the body tube contact surface. Green stop-eff was applied to the YD of

all tube ends. The tubes were stacked to the body in the exit end dowia
position with a base fixture holding the tubes upright during stacking.

A total of 3700 trbes were ultimately used in the assembly to obtain a

tight tube-to-tube and tube-to--botIy fit,

(U) Braze alloy wire was installed in alloy grooves on both injector and
exit rings and was followed by spot-welding 0.002-inch-thick braze a] loy

sheet the b'azing surface of the rings. Both r iPigs were assembled and
secured in place. Figure 14 shows an outer wall assembly during first-
cycle
1preparation,

(), Triangular nickel fillers were used as sealing plugs between tubes
and flat body and ring surfaces. During spot-welding of fillers to the
injector ring, two tubes were damaged by arcing; one tube had surface

6=

(This page is Unclassified)

.-. -. 7
 JL,,I
Lip v L) L1ý1

rJ.

onI

;,*JimmI
%WA fix

i. n JrI-

62~J
melting, the other had an arc burn,. :.:!. approximately 0.035 ir!:, wide.
It was considered impossible to replace the two discrepant tubes without
tearing doei the complete tube stack including the spot-welded fillere.
A local repair method was selected; it consisted of a 0.002-inch nickel
sheet formed and spot-welded over the discrepant tubcs. The patch would
be brazed in place during the first furnace braze (yclc. This process
wak ?.ieviously described, Ln-Process Pevelepmt'.t T',t3.

(0) Corrective action to prevent arc burns was undertaken by alerting

all shop pcr.ionnel concerned of the problem and instructing them to ground
spot-welder leads to the same part being spot-weldcd. Caution notes and
special instructions were added to brazing procedures arid Asscmbly and
Operation Records.

(U) Nickel filler installation was completed arid was followed by placing
nickel. powder, braze alloy paste,and nickel drip tabs in locations indicated
on the sketch in Fig. 15 •

(U) After completion of alloying, the assembly was placed over the pressure
bag tooling. The correct elevation for the tooling was obtained by adjusting
wedges on the bottom of the fixture. The bag rings were adjnsted to be con-
centric with the body and spaced from 0.103 to 0.133 inch between the surface
of the thrust chamber tubes and the surface of the Refrasil on the pressure
bags. Each pressure bag was pressurized to 60 psi in the assembly white
room to size the bag against the tubes. It was noted thLct at 20 psi, the
pillow-type bags expanded enough to make initial contact i6ith the tubesI
vhich coincided with room temperature data from pressure bag tests.

(U) Thermocouples were attached to the assembly, tooling,and retort in

accordance with the written. brazing procedure to monitor the brazing cycle.
The retort base was placed on the furnace hearth which had previously been
leveled to within ±0.010 inch. Figure t6 "shows the pressure bag tooling
(less the manifold lines) assembled to an outer body and positioned on the
retort base.

63

A_ -
 -J
-. ---- -. --- --- ~ - - . -

.067 INCH BRAZE ALLO'I'

- WIRE IRS0120-062)

RING

BEAUALLY Fll */~-~ -BRAZE ALLOY FILLET I

NI POWDER FILLET .

,/4 INCH INSE RT LENGTH

.030 TRIANGULAR NICKEL

VIEW A

IR5170-062W1R5!S
WJ/EWE CYCLE

BRAZE ALLOY FILLET

.030 INCH TRIANGULAR NICKEL

............................................................

FILLER SPOT-WELD TO RING - ----. AONT

1/ NHISETLNT. - 003-0C RING

.030 INCH TRIANGULAR NICKEL

kIN
1, 1 ~ 1/ ýIHlWIDE 3AND
NI P00wDER -, ,xULE-- / 3F GIFEEN STOP-OFF
BRA7t %LLOY FILLET- -~~UUIDRN

k[SISTANCE SI'0¶-WET0I D/
NICKL LRIPTAB ,///)! ~ -DRIP TAB 2 INCHES LONG

VIMW i

Vigure 15. 1,oai'm of' Mi kol FillIer Pn-In OAg-IM'd

'md Braze Alio
Appl1i clt in ForL1- th Fwir
Tx;t Braze Cycle.Also , Tlube-.to-Tiube
Jo i11 burv All ovi d N I I Le Iig t h o f
11 Ii I Ass'v ri b y . Bra ze
lu."i tioz waIý kis fhoukL Above. 111cIe Wire i~a Ins~talled inr
Al II 1od~ Al 1w, (IIuovvs

64

zIv
 o.ý- t&

QQ 0 L

Z 0

lullf

ýc U)

65
 (i') T'hi retort wos d,,siigned to permit a jipl'ti•l vacum, of 300 mic-rmi of
IlCrCUIry ui to 750 F. ft uils toib', sea ld w•Vll ,enmighso that %wh.n .'tccitatin.i
Lit ro(Oi Leli)perrlut'e to 300 1:11troll i thtii Id . tlh
,Uvipdown ,as lie tmi' kte-

qpired fo' jire,sure micronsis wou Id(Io

1o inrera Aev from 300 to 5W)te I Ic 1u
ls•
j than 2 minutes¢. After the Lirv.-t -inCl11111 cN
'clV that I.et tiht acctlejioh I. I .al,
rate %.a- ohbtained, additional 300-micron -vaciitiaio
one .'t v,01.'1
rcq:iloed
rul:::i tem:p,-r-uturc and cut-. .at 7010t F, -.ach reH•~,lI5 b:k i!lin-g •, . arkgun.

Figure 17 sho,.s the weld-sealed re tort on die i'iurCC'ie hri.

(U) First Braze Cycle. Furnace braze data arelIiqt'td iv Tablji 9. Figure l1
shms the time--tempera ture curve resul t ing from the fi rst braze -c Itc. Timc-

t'inperature data from al I thermnocouples on tilt' ascisehiby , ter' itltie rk-cdon FO•IT•.\N

daia sheets and plotted by the colmlpter for analysis of the braze. ('c]c'.

(1:) Following the braze cycle, pres'sure bag tool ing was care fulu v r('moved

from the chamber accordinlg to steps outlined in the brazing prochduri,.

Figure 19 shows the pressure bag which functioned suceessfully during the
)braze cycle. lPositbrazc exauiiination of the braze assembly revealed the

1. About 935 percent of the tliube-to-tuhV joints at the lower half of

thle chamiber w:ere filleted with braze alloy. About 73 pereent of

the tube-to-tube joints at the uipper hail h,ern filleted. Some

tube-to-tube gaps wire noted that vwould r1quire dii voiing•n the
larg'~st erv' about 0.015 inch v. ide.

2. Draze fillets at the in. oer ring-to-tube joints apjpearied saCis--

fat tory. So01e1 stmal voids hcie 110ntill that could be1'eilledied dur'ing

the second braze cycle. Exi (en(d ring-to-tub' and tube-to-body

joitits were only interruitttent1y fill eted.

3. There w'er light brown oxidation spats on the tubes, that coincid 'd
with 0.1O]i ijuth prc.s sure bag bleed holes. A slight amount of oxida-

tion could distinguish itself through pressure bag holes and not
t hrou'gh the maain retori
' inl]tt since a stall str'am of gils from tili

prI'ssurt bags woold ii pinpge dirt'ctly on the tubc's firs, be fore

66
 ii

Figure 17. The 270 ci ft Aerospike Vacuum Retort is Shown on

the Furnace Hearth. Edges of the Retort Seal Flange,
Arrow (A), and Plumbing Lines and Ducts are Weld Sealed
Prior to the Brazing Cycle. Hearth Posts, Arrow (B),
are Leveled to ±0.010 Inch Prior to Placing the Retort
Base on the Hearth Before Each Run

• , \. !67

a -----------
 "II

TAIII.1 9
-tF
OLT.l WAIT IT E Le/1;,1100
DATAI

TOntt tt w-'mb
•, A. Iy.

Diti I-i rst I'.1ze ()/C.t'C

l"

"l'imc In, )a to ('3)0 AM 17 Fbruary 1967

Time Out 'Date 9:2•O AM, 19 Februajr 1967

Total Ti fimc 62 hom-ru , 50 minlutes

Assiemblyv Level ness. ill 0.180 inch from level *

Assembly Levelness, out 0.000 inch from level

Itoom Temperature Evacuation 2 minutes, 30 seconds

50I0 to 500 Microns, time

Braze Position Injector end down

tPres.Ure Bag Pressures UO psi at ambient; gradual reduction

to 100-inch water column at 1800 F

Temperature Differentials See Fig. 20

Atmosphere Ilequlilement:
Argon, Minimum Flowrat( 1100 CFII heating and cooling cycle
llydrogen. Minimum Flowrate 1t00 CFII above lMOO F
lelium. Flowrate Helium not used :
Au,,-iN:'r,- .....]ge Line ).)
Fu
F, 2. to
L
10
U J
......
11I

Places

Braze Alloy m110170- 062 ((OAg-IOPd)

Braze Tomperature 2010 F '35 F, 20-minute hold

-0

*The retort base has movable plates which causes the initial levelness
measurement to be more out of le-,el tha,, after brazinig.

68

-.-
1.
S" . . -1.
°" .
i .
-. : .
r, .
" •" / ,•i .
16.
'"' - • ,-h' , .
 IINK

LA.

-4

Lek

C))

- 0 c

0p

u~n 0)
VI Cf
I-~~~~r - -__________

92..

0 w0

LLA

-J - I c.J a-.3

690
 ;II

.2

70-
 rmixing with the 1-rgen nf n-

checking of the pressure bag line system was performed, but no

r 4
+bn vh+ere ek
Le. I
specific leaks were found.

It. The lap pntch over the arc-burned tubes showed satisfactory braze
appea ranc e.

5. Alcohol flow check of the individual tubes indicated no tube

restrict ions.

(U) Second Cycle Preparation. Shimming of all tube-to-tube gaps over

0.003 inch wide was performed by using single-thickness nickel shims.
Shims were fitted into gaps by tapering the ends with a hammer on a solid
block prior to inserting them into place. Nickel shims w•ere used in all
tube-to-tube gaps except from 1 inch forward to I inch aft of the throat,
where 90Ag-IOPd braze alloy shims (braze alloy wire rolled flat) were used.
The 90Ag-IOPd shims had 90Ag-10Pd braze alloy powder washed in around the
shims while nickel powder was used around the nickel shims to form a complete
seal at each gap.

(U) Nickel powder paste was washed into visible ring joint voids wherever
they were found. Voids at the exit end tube-to-body joint required con-
siderable time and effort in obtaining a nickel powder seal, especially ix,
the space above triangular fillers. Figure 20 shows the described joint
on E Iabornte, tst set-ent. Nickel ..... a . . ... c
into the joint with a hypodermic syringe and No. 18 needle. A small brush
dampened in deionized water was used to wash the nickel paste into the
openings until they were sealed. A fillet of braze alloy paste over the
preplaced nickel completed the exit end tube-to-body joint preparation.

(U) Gaps under the exit ring were first shimmed with solid nickel shims,
followed by adding a special wide-gap brazing filler material until all
void areas were filled. The wide-gap brazing material was prepared by
combining 66 percent 82Au-18Ni, 17 percent 90Ag-10Pd, and 17 percent pure
nickel and yas used in dry powder form.

71

j'. :A**- .• .A A-.½--. *-4 - . -"-. 4 l.,

 V2-

Figure 20. Braze Test Specimen. Arrow Locates Space Above Triangular
Filler That Must Be Filled With Nickel Powder If a Eraze
Seal is Expected

72t I
(U) All joints partially or completely brazed during the first cycle were
realloyed with second-cycle alloy whether they appeared sealed or not to
preclude the possibility of leaving small pinhole voids unrepaired. Tube-
to-tube jonswere aloe'" rom Il -neco erdrn t h xt, drn

to complete the alloy prepalration for the second braze cycle.

(U) A special stop-off mixture consisting of CaO powder mixed into Rl-1
Binder was extruded into the exit end of each tube using a hypodermic syringe
in an effort to prevent braze plugging of tubes.

(U) Tooling rings, wedgeib, and clamps were installed on the assembly.
Pressure bags were not required for the second braze cycle. Nickel foil
drip tabs were attached to the lower parts of the assembly in accordance
with the written brazing procedure to prevent excess alloy from collecting
and plugging tubes. Thermocouples were attached, and the assembly vas
positioned on the retort base vith the exit end down for brazing.

(U) Second braze Cycle. Postbraze examination revealed that:

1. T.wo small tube-to-tube joints were unbonded about- 1/2 inch in

length. In general, tube-to-tube joints appeared satisfactory.

-2. The exit ring-to-tube joint appeared sealed except for an 18-inch-
lorg area where there appeared to have been ring movement that
disturbed the braze joint fillets. Local hanLd brazing would be
required to repair the joint.

., he injector e-d ring I

J_2--- - as uund.

(U) Braze discrepancies remaining in joints were considered repairable by

manual processes, thus completing furnace braze requirements on the above
assembly.

Brazing, Inner Wall Assembly Unit No. 1

(U) Assembly Preparation. Tube-to-body fit was evaluated after final

machining of the body contour by holding finish formed tubes against the
73

-rA
 body and observing the fit. Tube-to-body spacing was satisfactory except
for the last 1 inch of the exit end on the straight scetion of the body
where a 0.010-inch gap was evident between the body and tubes. Corrective
measures were taken by building up the discrepant area with 0.010--inch-thick
nickel plating.

(U) Assembly preparation began with the application of stop-off to thread-

ed holes and other surfaces on the body where braze alloy flow us prohibited.
The attachment of braze alloy wire and sheet to the body was performed and
was followed by stacking of tubes to obtain a tight tube-to-tube and tube-
to..body fit. After replacing tubes which were too short, bent, etc., 36ti2
tubes were ultimately counted in the assembly stack.

(U) The injector and exit end rings were prepared by attaching alloy wire
and foil to alloy grooves and braze surfaces,
assembled to tie tubes and secured in place.
respectively. The rings were
No problems were encountered
r 1
during alloy preparaticn. Installation of triangular nickel fillers and the
application of nickel powder paste, braze alloy paste, and nickel drip tabs
* vere performed as indicated on the sketch in Fig. 21.

* (U) When alloying was complete, the lower pressure bag tooling was in.-
stalled and adjusted for concentricity and elevation. The No. 2 bag was
set and pressurized aud determined as satisfactory. The upper bag tooling
W•• uLwe,i':mu tuzIIu Ue 4bmebly and boljed to ilhe lower brg asmseniby. The
upper bag rings were spaced concentrically with the assembly and from 0.130
to C.160 inch between the surface of the Refrasil on the bags and the tubes.

(U) Pressure bag No. 2 was deemed a key bag in maintaining tube-to-body
fit and was designed to operate from a separate purge line that was inde-.
pendent of the other bags. To ensure that enough pressure would be exerted
by No. 2 bag, its pressure requirement was increased over the other bags
for the heating and part of the cooling cycle. Figure 22 shoaus the pres-
surizing sequence and pressure requirements for the brazing cycle. Figure
23 shows the location of the bags and purge lines for the first braze'cycle.

74

"1
 NIW)D[RFJIET

BRAZ ALLOY.BAUALO

010ý INCH DI.SN1111AN ALLOY

VIEWW

FILlLent
JointsRAZ AerLAloye of the A eBODY. rz

Po 3tio TRAGUAShWn bveCrzeWrew

IaNC intlld i
L L AllOy
AlBody WEDDGRooves--IEA-

I ,S- r
ISI' . qF FII' -
 mI vI IU

1 __ ______
I _I___ __ 1
Lai'

C> W

C.1 o~ LiJ C

tn Ofa~hn

-0. -.

I/I J
cc

zMD w
ell

oo al 0-LA

_J.-A-I ___ 2 .1
C; Z

cn~~ a--.0.L

~ LA x ulA - t *U cr . . .'IlJ
 PRESSURE BAG MANIFOLD SYSTEM
It ~BAG CONNECTIONS;:
BAGS NO. I AND 3 TO PURGE LINE NO. I
BAG NO, 2 T0 PURGE LINE NO. •
BAG$ No. 4iANP 6 TO PURCE LINE NO. 3
4
j 1A
O. 5 AN1
NBAGS 7 TO PUA&E LINE NO.

L PRESSURE BAG ATMOSPHERE

INLET, 7 PLACES ----

ALY / "
2/

-AUPLARYT UG IE

-
Fi gure 23,
- JJ
-- - -- - - -i.
Location of Pressure Bags and Purge Lines for the First Braze
CydIc on the Inner Wall Assemnbly

77
EGEE
PACS,<0 4
 (U) Thermocouples were i ;ached to the assembly and toojing and the part
wao lowered onto the retoru- base. The pressure bag tooling was bolted to
the base with insulating 1,rackets connecting the bolts to the retort. base
to prevent exces....ve thermal cxpansion of the bolt- fror btae . .uruei-
heat.
and resultant increase of pressure bag-to-tube spacing. Counterwei.ght
tooling and pressure bag lines .were installed and all bags were pressurized
to determine:

1. If the bags were holding the tubes against the body j

.

2. If there were any leaks in the bag system

(U) Figure 24 shows the inner wall assembly in brazing position on the i

rel,ort base.

(U) The retort, plumbing lines, and ducts were weld sealed and verified
by evacuating the retort as described previously for the outer wall assembly.

(U) First Braze Ccle.. Furnace braze data are listed in Table 10. Figure 25
shows the time-temperature curve resulting from the first braze cycle. Time--
temperature data from all assembly thermocouples were entered on FORTRAN sheets
and plotted by the com]v -'er for qnalysis of the braze cycle. Helium gas was I

used as the retort atmobilnere during the cooling cycle on this run to take
" advantage of an increased cooling rate expected with the low-density gas. .

(U) l'osturaze examination of the braze assembli .evealed the following:

1. Light brown oxidation spots were noted on the tubes from some of
the pressure bag bleed holes, as had been noticed on the first
outer wall assembly.
H
2. Approximately 80 percent of the tube.-to-tube joints appeared to
be filleted with braze alloy; most of the unfilleted joints were
on the exit end.
LI
78

(This page is Unclassified)

~S
 4%4

4. ~AIcu)

''¼l cu
4

C, C3

C-.2
cz

a) (V

4:41

7.5.

79 (
 TAB*LU 10 i

ININUI IAL FU1RN-YE bIIAZEL IAIA

iver Wall Unit Nc I...•

Data First Braze; CyCle

Timein/Date 2:35 AN/2. .eb.rua.y

196 .

Time Out/Date 7-45 PM/26 February 1967

Total Time 89 houzs, 10 Miuilt~e'q

Assembly Levelness, in 0.120 inch from lev-cl*

Assembly Levelness, out 0.075 inch frotu level . , 1-

Room Temperature Evacuation 4 minutes, 1 secoinds

300 to 500 Microns, time

Braze Position Injector end do..A

Pressure Bag Pressure See Fig. 22

Requirements
Temperature Differential See Fig. 25
Requirementsj
Atmosphere Requirement:
Argon, Minimum Flowrate 1.400 Cv1l heating
r yvele
Hydrogen, Minimum Flouratel 0.009 ic1fabove 1400 F
Hlelium, Flowrate 541?. to 1400 CFH duigcooling from

Auxiliary Purge Line, Four 2. to .30 CH..

Places

Braze Alloy rtBO170-C.6"~' (90,Ag-lUd)

Braze Temperature ,
2010 F +35tF, hold
-senudse

RequiemenJ
*T0e retort base has movable plates whic. causes the initial level-
ness measurement to be wore out-of-level than after brazing.

80
 I C>
F- z.I

J
U-

00*

ILn

U' '

C4)

L&&

00

= -- U'

C3,)

NO C4 Go

=1 C1

ma- -
 3I ThA Jn ,iInP. r iT jii fillehad .n.itii,.,nusci IIoffs a t emcin

the ring and appeared to be scaled.

4. Tube.to-ring and tube-to-body joints at the exit end were unsealed.

(U) Second--Cacle Preparation. Shimming of tube-to-tube gaps was performed

in the same manner as for the outer -wall No. 1 assembly excepa, that 90Ag-10l'd
braze alloy shims were used for 2 inches forward to 2 inches aft of the throat.

(U) Nickel powder paste was washed into visible voids uberever they were
foupd. The tube-to-body joint at the exit end had a continuous nickel fillet
applied around the joint. Gaps under the exit ring were shimmed with nichel
shims; this was followed by addition of t ,e special wide--gap brazing filler
material previously mentioned on outer wall No. 1.

(U) All joints were alloyed with second-cycle alloy paste regardless of
whether they appeared sealed or not. Tube-to-tube joints were alloyed from
the exit end ring to the injector end ring. The CaO and R-1 Binder stop-off
material was inserted into the exit end of all tubes as a deterrent against
braze alloy tube plugging.

(U) The assembly was thermocoupled and placed on the retort base exit end
down for brazing. Pressure bag tooling was not required for the second
braze cycle. Counterweights were used on the exit ring to overcome tension
on the ring joint from the weight. of the ring.

(U) Second Braze Cycle. Postbraze examination of the assembly revealed

tLe following:

1. A bluish-gray discoloration was noted on one side of the assembly

adjacent to the thenrocouple inlet tunnel, indicating atmospheric
contamination.

2. All braze joint fillets showed acceptable alloy flow and appearance
including those in the area of the discoloration.

82

-:
=-.-
":' -':"=
-. -•T,
•:"-L
. ' '-"
..-_...
:•:'...•'•,=
. .•....:...:•.."'--::•
,•-:•' - •-••,- - -,I
______________ _____-__________________
 ii U

(U) Discussion of Results. Examination of the retort after the braze cycle

failed to show any rupture or cracks which would cause the discoloration on
the assembly. It is known that a small amount of air enters the retort
through the thermocoaple inlet tunnel, but this had not been a problem in
the past. During the brazing cycle, the flow of argon and helium atmosphere
into the retort was reduced to a minimum of 350 cu ft/hr for about one-half
the run time to reduce overall gas usage during the cycle. The reduced flow
was believed responsible for allowing minimal leakage from the thermocouple
tunnel to contaminate the side wall of the assembly. Increased atmosphere
flowrates prior to and subsequent to the present cycle have not shown a
poor atmosphere condition.

(U) A 5-psi helium leak check disclosed some small pinhole-type leaks that
could be repaired locally, thus completing furnace brazing on this unit.

Brazing, Outer Wall Unit 1c. 2

(U) Assembly Preparation. Assembly description for the most part will be
of those things that differed from outer wall unit No. 1. An additional
alloy gi•urvv asuded otote oboy 1'" inch in from the exit end tube con-
tact surface. After installing wire in the body alloy grooves, the grooves
were filled with braze alloy paste to provide additional alloy to the tube
and body joints. Stacking of tubes was performed to form a tight stack and
good body contact with 36 4 0 tubes ultimately assemoled to the body.

(U) The assembly of end rings, triangular nickel fillers, and nickel
powder and alloy was performed as in unit No. 1. Only one problem was en-
countered during assembly. Straps holding down the injector ring were some-
how loosened after alloying was nearly complete, and the ring was raised
about 0.100 inch above the tubes in one location. Considerable effort was
spent in repositioning the ring (and nickel fillers) before it was acceptable.

(U) After alloying was complete the pressure bag tooling was installed in
position. The bags were functionally tested and considered satisfactory.

83

| !1 _ _ - .- X
Thermocoupling and furnace installation followed and the retort top was set
over the part and weld scaled to the base. Before the run started, the bags

were pressurized at 40 psi. All functioned except the No. '2 bag which didn't
show any pressure from the return line. The system outside the retort was
rechecked and nothing uras found to be wrong, so the retort was cut open and
the top removed for examination. It was discovered that the line leading to
the No. 2 bag was pinched by the retort top when it was lowered cnto the
base. The problem was corrected and the furnace cycle was started and
completed without further incident.

(U) First Braze Cycle. Postbraze examination of the assembly revealed

that:

1, Tube-to-tube joinits were satisfactory. Some gaps %-ere noted aft

of the throat. Two gaps were measured at 0.010 inch wide and
were the largest seen in the assembly. About 10 percent ef the
joints were unbonded aft of the throat. Less thao 1 percent
were unbouded forward of the throat.

2. Appearance of the chamber showed good atmosphere.

3. Prettre bag funct:ion appeared to be satisfactory.

4. Injector end ring and body fillets were sound.

5. Exit end ring and body fillets were incomplete.

(U) Second Cycle Preparation. All gaps were shimmed with pure nickel and
9OAg-lO'd braze alloy shims as performed on outer wall No. I except that
nickel powder was used around 90Ag-lOPd alloy shims instead of 90Ag-lOPd
powder. The wide gap brazing material was used where possible under the
exit ring. Nickel powder paste was used at exit ring and body fillets and
wherever visible voids were found. All braze joints were ailoyed with second-
cycle alloy paste even through most of them appeared to be sealed after the
first cycle. The CaO and R-I Binder stop-off material were inserted into
the exit end of all tubes, and the chamber was ready for brazing in the
exit end down position.

84
 I!
(U) Second Braze Cycle. l'ostbraze examination of the assembly revealed
cxcellent-appcnring braze joints, and no voids were visible.

Brazing, Inner Mill Unit No. 2

(U) Assembly Preparation. A 0.010-inch discrepancy existed on the exit

end of the body (as occurred on unit No. 1) and had to be built up with
nickel plating.

(U) Braze wire and alloy paste were applied to all body alloy grooves be-
fore braze foil was attached. A total of 3637 tubes were counted in the
assembly after stacking was complete.

(U) Injector and exit end rings were installed and triangular nickel fillers,
nickel powder, and braze alloy paste were applied to the assembly as indicated

for unit No. 1.

(U) Lower and upper pressure bag tooling was installed and positioned.
There was one small bag leak, but it was considered too small to affect
pressure bag operation. Thermoccuple and furnace installation was per-

No. 1.
wall unit
irnner
as for
formed
(U) First Braze cycle. Postbraze examination of the braze assembly revealed
that:

1. There were fewer tube-to-tube gaps than on the previous inner wall
unit.

2. Injector end ring and body joints appeared to be satisfactory.

Exit end joints lacked complete fillets.

3. Overall brazing atmosphere appeared to be good except for the

usual brown spots coinciding with pressure bag bleed holes.

85
(U) Second-Cy:cle Preparation. Shimmiing of tube-to-tube gaps was perf,.Irwjed
in the same manner as for inner wal I ,ait No. I except th-tU Pickel powder
was used around 90Ag-101d shims instead of 90Ag--i)Pd alloy powder. Nickel
powder was washed into vi sible voids at ri..g and body joints. The wide-gapl
brazing material was inserted wIbere possible under the c-xit ring. Broaze
alloy pa.3te vas applied to all joints regardi-ss of their previius braze
bond appearance. Tube stop--off materia] was inserted int o till exit end
tubes, and the unit was ready for bra:!,ing.
I

(U) Second Braze Cyclic. Examinatiun of the asselnbly revealed several

tube-to-tube voids that would be hand braze repaired. General overall - -

braze quality shoi.redan acceptable braze operation. Figures 26 and 27

show the assembly on the furnace braze following the second braze cycle.,

Tubular Combustor lepairs f

(U) Because of the complexity and fragility of the tubes on the thrust
"chamber .assemblies, a small amount of damage occurred during processing.
With the magnitude of sealing required'between tube-to--tube joints and ..A
tbe-to-manifold joints, a certain amount of manual repairing was required
after tue furnace brazing operation. Also, a sporadic tproblew of the small-
diameter tubing being restricted by braze alloy was encountered. Most of
the repairs were highly specialized, requiring unique techniques and highly
skilled personnel. The repairs required and performed are listed briefly
in the following paragraphs.

(U) Cuter Combusor No. 1.

(U) fIbe Crown Itapairs. Two tube crown pil holes 31/ inch down-- W"
stream from the throat were inadvertently made by arcing with an electro-
plating stylus. Repair was made uoing a plasma-arc torch with 90Ag-lOPd
braze alloy. Figur6 2,8 shows a typical plasma-are repair on a tube crown.

16

- ~- .-,
-. .--,---
. - - --- "
IL'

c
C tC

0 9)

0l) 0) :n

LýC,

v'J

t4 +

-5

/E

87
IL

C, o

C'b
 (11) Tube-To-Tu Re mirs. Stylus cecctrupleting was utilized on
19 1l.;ks, applying a nichel flu&sh first and followed by suler plating

and burinishing. Figurv.- 29 shows tyvpihal plating repair areas on a

Combunstor.

W.) TNuhc-To-Exif. Ring. An 8-inch-long leahing, area on the hot gas

a I) oy.

(U) Inner Cormbumtor No. 1.

(U.) Ttibe..TG-Tube Repai~rs. Approx).mately 150 leaks were repaired by

stylus silver plating the narrow leaks (approximately 0.00"i or less) and
torch braziflhg thnee that were wider using 82Au.-l8i Dii the throat. are& and
50A-u-25Ag-22Cu-3Zn in the remainder of the contour.

(IT) Tujb!LCrown Hole Near Throat. A small hole nmade by arcing vi th

tbe platicig styliu.. was secaled by THG brazing iuitb 82Ax-18N4i.

(U) Outer Cz~mbustor No. 2.

(W) Tub,,.-To-Tabe Relsoi rs. Approx~imately 12 leaks on the hot-gas wall

were stylu.- sil1ver plated, Nb~e-to--.tube leaks under the e2:-t ring at the
ý'xtrcmie cnd of the tubes ocriurred iniermittently throughout +he circesmecriaice
of the cor~a!utor and were rpa~ired Iby TIG brazing with. 50Au-2S)Ag- 22Cit-.5Ztl

(Ui) Tnrier Comibustor No. 2.1

(M Tube-To-Tul e Repa irs., Tlhree leaks under the exit ring a1t thie
extreme end of the tubeki were TICG hraz repaired. with 5OAi-~25Ag-,22Ui:-¾ýn
alloy. ýThere were no le-aks on the hot-.gat wall contour.

894
Figure 28. Silver-Palladium B~razed Tube Crown Repa ir
or Type 34i7 Stainleso-Steel Tube (00x0

Figure 29. Repair of Tube-to-Tube Leakage by Stylus

Plating With Silver

90
 M
Nondestructive Testing of Tube-to-Body Braze Joints

(U) Ani investigation to evaluate and determine wlhether thermochromiatic

pigments could be utilized as a thermographic nondestructive test technique
for tube-to-backup structure braze bond integrity i, is performed. The pro-
cedure utilizes a product called "Detecto-Temp," a temperature-indicating
pa int.

(U) The prinuipal approach used was to spray the pigment on the tube crowns,
then to apply static heating uith quartz radiant heat lamps for a specified
time. When the radiant heat was introduced upon the tube crowns, the thermal
transfer characteristics were observed the the thermochromistic pigment color
c hang e.

(U) The initial investigations were performed on vari.ous pieces of test

samples which duplicated actur! chamber configurations. These samples
consisted of small-diameter -type 347 stainless-steel tubes with nominal
wall thicknesses between 0.008 and 0.011 inch brazed to a massive stainless-
steel baclup structure. Figure 30 illustrates the results achieved in the
detection of hraze disbonds after the application of the pigment and test-
ing with the radiant heat lamps. Based upon the results of metallurgical
examinatins of the void areas to determine the validity of the findings
by thermegraphic technique, a detailed procedure was written for inspection
purposes,

(U) Since the procedure has been in use for inspection, all components
tested were found to be acceptable in that no disbond areas exceeded the
dirnensifnal limitations specified on the drawings.

(U) An example of the test results can be seen in Fig. 31 which shows
the changes that occur when testing an actual piece of hardware.

91

This page is Unclassified

- --- -- L 2
 .A*

iIIIOl
M

I1XE32- 11/2 ]/66'c Ic

Figuire 30. Thermographiei Test, Results on Latboratory Development
Sample

92
 I SAM
SQ 0

4-12

eon
250K SOLID-WALL CIRHANUIJ, COPPER TI¶IWAT WELD OVERLAY

(L) It was initially determined that the thrcat of the solid-wall iuiner
and outer bodies would necessarily have to possess better heat transfer
chal-acteristics than the 30½L stainless-stecl body material. OFHC copper
was de:ired and a survey, backed with preliminary experimental data, was

conducted relative to throat attaclnenit methods. In chronological Squencc,

the events leading to the successful completion of the solid wall bodies
are presented.

(U) A preliminary test program showed a reasonable practicality in arc

welding a deposit of 01l1C (or deoxidized) copper over a prior deposit of

Nickel 01 (to prevent the common ORIES/copper cracking). Work continued

on this concept using larger samples and deexidized copper (again, and
always, over Nickel 61). It was det-ernined that deoxidized copper would
not meet the desired conductivity, 30 percent International Annealed

Copper Standard (TACS) being the value obtained. Tests with OFUtC copper

showed 80 percent IACS which was considered acceptable.

(U) The inner body was the first unit to be welded using the following

practice:
,. Apply Nickel 61 to the 304L using the gas metal arc welding

process (GMAW).

Apply 70 percent copper-30 percent nickel (70Cu--3GNi) to the

Ni 61 deposit using UhAW.

3. Apply several layers of OFHiC copper to the 70Cu-3ONi deposit

using GMAW; then finish the _rP.C deposit u the gaN
tihg Lungsten

arc welding process (G-TAW).

(U) The underlying deposits wer.e such that defect propagation could not
be stopped in the upper deposits, and the inner body throat deposit was

declarad unacceptable.

94 .
This page it Unclassified

4.
(U) The outer body was welded in accordance with improved techniques.
Although this total deposit contained some known quantities of lack-of-
fusion and porosity, it was a significant improvement over the prior

effort. The outer body was accepted and finish machined.

M A n other • *^..,
c na detonun aff ect ed. uthdA-i
ff v r v t.u•
e tw v u th e tw o depo nits .

The inner body was an OD overlay, the outer body wan an 1D overlay. Thuc ,
shrinkage stresses (tension) in the former would tend to propagate prior
flaws and/or generate new flaws iii areas weakened by contaminants. The
opposite would be true of the outer body.

(U) On the inner body, all but the lower portion of the original deposit
to sound metal was removed and rebuilt to contour using the GTA process
and Nickel 61 filler (approximately 15 percent IACS conductivity). This
was performed successfully. Each pass was mechanically hammer peened t.j
prevent excessive shrinkage, the part being seriously distorted already.
Post-weld analyses snowed the part to be usable. It was finish machined
and accepted.

95/96

-.-. .
-~ ~
 FABRICATION OF 250K INJECTORIS

INJECTOR STRIPS, DEDUIAMING BAFF"LES

(U) To furnish design flowratcs, the drilled orifices in the injector

trip
reuired- dburriag af.i drilling. An electrolytic deburring
I
• process was developed and used to replace hand deburring. Experience
obtained with the process during the program shows that both labor coat
and rejection rates were greatly reduced over that for the hand deburring
method and that processed injector strips met all engineering requirements.

Electroformed .niector Baffles

S(U) A program was attempted to fabricate the 250K injector baffles by

electroforming copper on a stainless-steel core. Six uaffles were pro--
duced and run through braze cycles simulating the injector assembly
brazing process. The baffles blistered during the braze cycles and failed
in pressure testing. The program was discontinued.

97

t & 4I - .* &~." M'

- . at- :. . -?O • '-. . .. ..
I I I I A,
Baffle Braz.ing

(U) The component parts of the baffle assembly to be brazed were the
stainlese-steel liners in the hot--gas passage and a copper closure plug

in the manifold ait the baffle tip. The stainlc-s-steel lineis in the

hut--gas pasage are shown in Fig. 32 . To achieve braze joint reliability

consistent with Lhe design, it was necessary to braze and pressure test

the baffle units pr-tor to assembly on the injector. The scheduled brazing

temperature for the injector was 1900 F, which meant. the baffle assembly
braze joints had to go threugh the temperature without loss of joint

integrity.

(U) The braze alloy selected for the baffle assembly was 62Cu-35Au-3Ni
with a braze temperature of 1920 F mnaximure. The diffusion rate of this

braze alloy iiiao the baffle materials was sufficient to increase the remelL

temperature at a safe level for processing through a second braze cycle at

1900 1 as a part of the injector assembly.

*11

98

- ...
Sw|
rR

WEMu ink

CI

s t e e l l i n ler - . . s l. l. "".-.ý
c. i tlg

B. Hiot - g il s p il s s itg e I ~t s d f b f l h w n t i l
steel lin,,r sd fbfi hwn ti~e

U. Fuel cooling Channels

Figure 32. Completed and Sectioned Baffle Assemblies

99
(U) Ten bnffle assewblies were brazed during e aingle furnace cycle. A
braze fixture was produed tlgt would accept the 10 units and ii.roduce a
purge gas through the cooling hannels on each baffle. The purge gas Yas

used to dispel all air that could be trapped in the passage. Figure 33
describes tile baffl0" positioa and purge gas sy'stem uts the furnauce tooli'ng.

FUEL-COOLING CHANNEL

"HOT-GAS PASSAGE

BRAZE FIXTURE

Figurp 33. Section Through Braze Fixture and Two Baffles

Showing Gas Purge System (Arrows Didvatea.
Direction of Gaa Flow)

100

This page is Unclassi~ied.

BRAZING OF INJECTORS
II

A-ssemlIv and Bra iA"LProcess

(U) The joint g-ap toleraness (maximum of 0.0911 inch) needed on all the

vertical braze joints between the bjody and the strips and beffles rte-
quired cloue control of the machine operations and inspection EivlIodh.-

The machinied ,reas in the body to receive the strips and balfles were
broached to achieve repeated close dimenuions,. An MUM operation followed

"thie broaching to produce a passage from the sirips to the oxidizer and fuel
mauifolds. Figure 34 shows an injector segmeni willi the broncliiug opera-
tijn complete prior to the LEUI operation. Figure 35 shows an injeclor
segment with the broaching and JUM operation comrplete. Tire EliN o)ieration
deformed the body lands out of a vertical planc. The landsi were s.trairht-
ened and the original drmensions reinstated by tire -se of a s8'ing too].

(U) Laboratory tests were conducted prior to assembly and brazing the
injectors. These toasLs were conducted to ektablrhi a method of retainiing
the strips in position during the braze cycle and the ariount and fort of
braze alloy to be used lor each joi-nt. Figure 34 illustrates the fir't"
type of braze samplel used. The body segnert was first used as a test pi ece
to establish dimensional tirtegr t-y f'.rom the broaching operp.on. 7
Tie
broached strip and baffle sockets are showr ii. this illustration. Figuret,
illustrates
i5 a body segment, used for brazing tests, with both the
broaching and •UM operations compleLtd.

(IT) The braziug tests conducted in the laborv..ory confirmed that the
foilowintg requirements ,--,auced cons.,,•3iI to ia
biate in -s

1. The strips and baffles staked in position usin tIwo siakos on

each !andy t.oned ./6 rinch frow, each -nd (Fig. -34)

"2. Braze alloy sheet 0.002 inch thick p;ah.id in t•ie horizontal
Joint surfaces of the strips and baffl.c-'

This page is Unclaseifiedi

 -JAI-

rr)
It rafl sc-atlc~

Figurie 35. Bro.ýatiedFe Strip tund B3affleSeatoIjetor emn

R61vw u-rPassage A from

 IN

3. Braze alloy sheet 0.001 and 0.002 inch thick placed in the
vertical joints between the body lands and strips; the two
thickness of alloy sheet were necessary to center the strip

in the body socket

It. Braze alloy iuire placed on top of each body land and at the

ends of the strips

(Ii) Assembly of the component parts prieor to furnace brazing was

conducted in the w'hite room. Each strip was dimensionally checked prior
to assembly, using a precision gage. As the strips were placed in the

mating area of the injector body, 0.001 and/or 0.002 inch braze alloy
sheet was placed in the vertical joir;ts as needed to equalize the gap

widths. The strips were seated firmly and staked in position. Figure
36 shows the preplaced braze alloy rectangular wire and alloy paste used
on top of the body leands between strips and baffles. Figure 37 shows

the nickel troughs used to hold preplaccd braze alloy a. the ends of the
strips and baffles and the area of preplaced rectangular braze alloy wire

in the strip grooves. The braze alloy used was (62Cu-35Au-3Ni) with a
solidus temperature of 1852 F and a liquidus temprature of 1886 F.

Total quantity of braze alloy used averaged 61 troy ounces.

(U) The furnace braze operation was conducted in the same furnace as the
thrust chambers. Fifteen thermocouples were used on each injector assembly.
The thermocouples were located at 120 degree intervals around the injector
diameler and at thick and thin sections to maintain predetermined tem-
perature gradients to minimize thermal stresses in the body section that

couples were al:so adjacent to the braze joint to confirm the temperature
range in this area for required braze alloy flow.

(U) Figure 3B shows an injector assembly with some of the therMocouples

attached. Figure 39 shows the injector retort on the furnace hearth
with the purge gas lines, thermocouple duct, and vacuum duct attached.

103

_____________ _______This rjaac ini Uwtlnasfit i .

V.'
 WOD NO 01 L

IIL
A-Proplaced braze
'tValloy rectangular

B-Prep] aced braze

'Ilo pat be
 cu

H Cz

Ua,

co

03 03

vc

1054

- r-
oud gLv
 UiouiIM
3u9 n, n U

caa

cc~c

-~CI

,ro or

1- i' . ' 11

Zco 3

106
.IRK

44-

107~
 (1) The injector assembly was supportcd on the retort base by two
deep I-beam section rings sufficient to support and maintain the in-
jector acaembly in a level flat plane during the heat cycle.

(U) The averag, furnace braze heal cycle was extended througih "58 hours
frmthe first vacuum evacuation of the retort of 300--microlis Hig until
the part temperature cooled to 300 F. An average vacuum pressure of 195
tt 210icons 119 -was hialutained in Vhe retort from ambient temperatureI.
until the part reached 300 F. The retort was evacuated when the part
temperature had cooled below 300 F. This action was taken to gain in-
formation on the magnitude of leak that might be initiated in the retort
as a result of the heat cycle. Twenty-eight inches of Hlg was the lowest
pressure level in the retort that could be achieved, This indicated some
leeks had h,,en developed in the retort.

(11) Argon and hydrogen gas were used to purge the oxidizer manifold, fuel
manifold, and the retort above a part temperature of 300 F. Argon gas
wa used below 14i00 F. on the heating and cooling cycle with hydrogen used

from 1400 F through the braze temperature of 1900 to 1920 F and cooling
to 1400 F The average volume of purge gases used was 35,00 eu ft hy-
I drogen and 90,000 cu f t argon.

raiej Presur Testhinjetor duripn

o l

.• ~ (U) A joint.s
braze injector toste-ips
method ofwasthedevelcped the propellant
seal could orifices
be leak tested so that theup
at pressures

i ' .1o 600)pi trný miiieral wxblend material (Plasti-wax 86)with

35P F melting p int was proved satisfactory for sealing the propellant
'0.-
orifices in i njoeeor, wtien applied to clean injector surfaces preheated

a %ainimuti0 of 225 F. AfterSto

leak leoting the fuel and oxidizer sides of the
injectors, the resin-taxx miaterial was dissolved by repeated flushings
i1 ho t, ,tiich!,or o ~hylerie.
 FABRICATION 01 2.5K SEGMENTS

t
(C) NICKIL 200 TUBE-WALL FABRICATION

(C) Nickel 200 Tube Proccssing

(c) flaw Material. Raw tubing to be used in the fabrication of the Nickel
200 tubes for thc 2.5K segment was purchased. The small 0.156-inch OD by
0.1O-inch wall, seamless tubes, were procurred. Rtoutine metallurgicil
examination performed during the receiving inspection of the material
showed that it met all specification requirements.

(C) Tapering. If.is a well known fact that Nickel 200 has a high affin-

ity for sulfur when exposed to elevated temperatures while in the pre-
sence of compounds and materials containing the element. The resultant
intergranular attack renders the material unfit for use in thrust cham-
ber tube applications. Therefore, prior to the beginning of tapering,
all materials which were scheduled to be used in the tapering, preforming,
final forming, and packaging of the tubes were screened for compatibility
with Nickel 200. Such materials as tapering lubricant, oil used to fill i

the tubes during final forming, marking materials, EDM dialective oil,
and packaging materials were checked. The test consisted of heating
Nickel 200 tube specimens to 1300 F ±25 F for 10 minutes in air, while
in contact with the materials being checked for compatibility. Metallo-
graphic examination was then performed on the tube specimens to determine
the presence of intergranular attack. Only materials that passed the
test were allo-wed to be used.

(C) Prior to beginning the production tapering of the Nickel 200 tubes,
a pilot run was made to establish optimum tapering parameters. Results

109

_ - _ _ _b~c.
 n pr r- ,
r nn rnfc nl Frnn

of these tests (Table 11) determined by metallurgical evaluation 6howvd

that tile tubes could be tapered in one pass. The production tapering waLa
accomplishcd withoes incident. The excellent taperability of Nickel 200

II
allowed for the manufacture of two straight tapered tubes from one blank.
Tapering parameter wncasuring devices installed on the machine afforded
excellent reproducibility.

(U) Metallurgical evaluutions were conducted on tapered tubes subsequent

to annealing. Results are shown in Table 11. It should be noted that
the tapered tubes produced were of excellent quality.

(C) Outside diameter surface laps were fouisd on a nuwber of the tapered
tubes evaluated. This discrepancy is one which is quite commonly found
on tapered tubes with the working charr-;cteriaiics of Nickel 200. In no
case did the laps exceed 0.001 inch.
Ft

(U) Preanneal cleaning of tie tapered tubes was accomplished by vapor-

degreasing including flushing of the tube ID with hot trichio ,ethelene

followed by ultrasoni( cleaning. The latter cleaning operation was per-

formed with the tube: immersed in a Freon TF bath and cleaned at a fre-

quency of 20 t.o 25 Ke for 5 minutes at room temperature. The tubes were

then rinsed in .hot (120 F) deionized water with tie ID of tile tubes being
flushed during this operation.

(U) Annealing was carried out at 1500 F ±25 F in a continuous tube

Vt annealing furnace in a dry hydrogen atmosphere.

(U) Preforming and Final Forming. Preftrming of the annealed straight

tapered tubes was accomplished without difficulty. The final forming of

the tubes was accomplished in a contour cavity book die. Because no in-

ternal pressure was used to assist in forming the tube io final configura-
tion, annealing of the preformed tubes was required. Cleaning of the
X preformed tubes was done in the same manner as the straight tapered tubes.

- .- 110

@00 .,ORIUO
117
C! .- (-

I:-
-. - g ID04
-o ,

06, 60 m- O4

C r- 00 0 0 A 'D

=0. ' C Cd Cq ik C-1

A
11 :I H
, L 6 0.- - 0 ' 6

__~ r '~..Q

U VID

~I

Km

eDIF ft'
IF ---- U---
Uhl

(U) Annealing wai carried out at an outside heat treating facility using
a batch-type furnacc and a d--y hydrogen atmosphere. The tubes u.cre ann'ealed
in the horizontal position at 1500 F ±25 for 5 minutes.

(U)

fltl(
After book die fomniug,
metallurgically evaluated.
tube i4n 4th.. ,t.p1-r:;
a random sample of finish formed tubes were
Some concavity in the straight side walls of
purti•,rui at the co bistion zone and exit crd
i
of the tubes was noted. This condition is one uhich occurs quite frequently
in book die forming and it can be alleviated by; applying sufficieni internal
pressuie to allow for I- to 2-poernt plastic deforation during forming.
To accomplish this, the die cavity also must be changed to allow for the
strain, and the tapered tubes designcd so that final configuration will
meet engineering drewing requirements for stacking height.. However, the
concavity would not interfere with design parameters or the brazing opera-
tion, and the tubes weretueed without rework.

(U) Figure 40 shows thc location of the metallographic specimens removed

from the finish formed tubes, and Table 12 shows the results of the
evaluations performed. Figure 41 depicts the conditions observed. No
evidemrce of intergranular attack was found during any of the metallurgical
evaluations performed.

(C) Subsequent to the book (lie forming operations, the finish formed
tubes were fluorescent pen.Žtrant inspected using a penetrant solution,
emulsifier, and developer that were compatihle with Nickel 200. Final
cleaning of the tubes preparatory for shipment to'the white room for
assembly of the segment was done in the same manner as cleaning prior
to annealing.

AssembI" and Brazing Fabrication

(U) Assembly and brozing of the nickel tubular thrust chamber segment was
+15
accomplished using 50Au-5OCu material at a braze temperature of 1800 F -0

Figure illustrates the assembly, with one copper side plate removed
prior to welding the throat support beams in place.

112

-l - V. 0 Do U 9
 ztt

131
LAU

7l -k

C-).

'4L

cl,

ILI) CD

N C
LI~ 1I {

zrn ( 0

ti -
 4C

cc-I
C C Z

I--C C cI

m to

C~7 C c~

1-2 ('I
 it, I hol rI'Qr)-vi
Uji ~ L' 1). I'll') L 'f') og, apl 'hlo" ill- ' u
cr ; LW I ioILl

~Fg 1
1AU ý,pc' uhnwi kt i iLI W -511I No "( wl( a-, t LII ie walI anid
II~ -I Lt ~ hi Io'11 kvIio I' ( It;, covn1 ISO dcgree!ý

I~ ~~UJ l\t
r' rw-. .M~~~~ ca'.l .lit I - II (u_
2 i, ' I'flII
i
-LN~L ) u -( lI

1
fAh

'A.

F n i -ri
1
I wT i , ' oCt i a , oi1 ul tub d0 h'L o 1- Fviw- N'. l2 0
ICUIU
Figile ~j*-.-
'yp1~ I ~'O~lbOLLii LLLLC' N b'1 0Q~~-X Seg~iment Tulw,-

rip,.-
 ifi

~&

I-4
IAF7

42. 2.5K Nickel li'hular 1W11-1~ChI

lambhti ersootA' P~ir Iy A1oe!b

I t ems ui(j ted.l (A) re 1'y c- i 1 ~vo%

ro~lIt i oit2o i1p utt ,m Iit
(~i , A
5(Gu. braz al.l iI'l fo I
 So i:zlt %witi flq O -iih 11I f le in e 4 11W st-eonld AIoI1;1. I. I rolif

I'

secund fu trliic 4 brfiuc (4 1#, l": ;I d thali iti I I 1 111)(- t, E'1i,([j ou~10 1eaisi had

p :cd
I0111 I t, thate Io ulela
114r t IjuI e oF Ee c ln i I1 Coa
llhe OU 1.I f3('Va
. TIt'l
remnin injg tube-to-l iijbt. I tj I I itI theI c 0111)u "3 i 0 1 e1
ZVe UPI v 'v 11 c'I ))IN .3 31

thImt 114,1k w~ere pl uggred witl brae

Iii alloy or' cile ore igii mlate -i'la Ii gate,
1j- illJIEMIratec Iiv ubxichl segmerit after br-ave 11aljtat ion,

(C
t) 1S -vu cll 1t,
e Il ia.z~e I aIl,iic olo a
itu II) ci' c,,4no
Iel oi lii .

Iitk-e Ix 1 I III),( sepilnen t wia~i invc &I I igai t ed.'lI( Thej, cit d i t~crc,!;amcy wcs c Iaaýcd
ly the a'Ccicj tfleoI pp]li~int lo! ai mlixii-g1irviir . Vi(! o~i aJ i rcmu-,ed
Oitre tube erowilo to Villa pl . tp i OSac L;Iisiiih . iu
si I, r p1- a I iigIoIlolawed by 6o! delri rif (SNOO ,o ido'r, 611S,'i-'M'h) at nicikel
sailde
Icatcii1 over till pl atinag for rep air fot rein forcc-livien pu,'poSC6.
Iij gore 41: ui
us ra tes flhe tulbe d i scI(-'pancv repa ir Oil tile 11i clke I rsegmv f; I

A~trtccopI hig i 1. -upa r o f I he I tufb di1se refliune hi-aze I IloN ri ol s

W~ere qpp I t'd 11) 1 tibe rozils to 100?ýt inoil 5 temupe rat ot
ur d i att-rs,
'lutr igt ,,uIot f ir i I g I)fh 1 hrust
1YII LIIt MaI)k!
r- 5egu
C9 IR VI 45)

Al.-

1177
 " %, VW'A

-- f-

, 41

IPI

JIM

lI igin't' 2.3 1 Ni the ITuba lax Tixtis-t Ch.ouc

(:sttltSjn'gtrx1 Dloieu AtddIIitio
ul
l~tthzp btril(turc. 10.tens itu~d: (Ak) ;zzl~e'td multli jolt
i1xv~

a ssin
1Iz v we Iod~iitt Ivx dudb it'llt o at I/. fal), ii
ititi iuietfi
iAX

119
 - 0 4 "-im
-

fir--

S7-

-- Mon"-

1J20

-UC
 if

Electron Beam Weldi_ _i of Mýni 1ifo]d Closuljjii

(C) Both thie nick_.-l and coppc: L.ube segrieiits incorporjntd a thIIust ehN'bei

manifold closure. The opening, sealed by the manifold closuwe, pruvided

access for biaze alloy plac2ement. The tyjpe Y17 ste mnle~s s,:el ':loamiui
was rue tangular, approximately 1 inich vidGe by- 3 inches long, ;,,ifi a 1;2--
inch-deep joint.

(U) The closures were electron beam welded in place afteir esseatially all
brazing was complete. The h~gh-voltage equipment was cmployed in view of
"line-uf-sighL" alignment which was required because of the recesaed con-
figuration of the closure joit. Because the four-sided plug dictated thaL
four straight-line welds be made, "musks" were used for weld start and stop
points. "Masks" are blocks of LIe samne metal as the part and serve to
"lift" the beam from the joint, at predetermined locations. The weldicug

of all closures was successful.

Bonding of Backup Structure to Tubes

(c) Procedures were developed for the io.ustructural bonding of the backup
structure to the Nickel 200 and 0111C copper tube bundles of 2.5K segments.
The materials used included glass mat, a standard epoxy resin, and a room
temiperatuie curing amine catalyst.

L|

1''
IBU1

ki32
 U
•2I& UUL U U!-M_
.LWLS t

(U. After mLhlii:ing of appro.vixmate bolt holes, flow passages, et,. -, ' fither-

glass mat was cut to proper size using a card board templale shaped to

dimensions of the contoured backup. Proper mat thickness was developed

during dry fitup operations. A trial assembly wias made to deterritine the

quantity of resin required per sýide. The glo.ss mat, as determined above,

was pla ced agoainst ti0 tribe btiudle and imp:re;tatod nifi;zg a 1mease.rcd qnxan-
tity" of' uncat.alyzed epoxy (I-1poni 828) -sein ý The |JO(chill,' stri-ICLtre Wits post-

tioneed to the tu!e buod ic a quantity 01 res in • i 1,•, vu to fil1 ivi

g:ips betueen the Iaclip, arid th rurst clihmber ass ciublyv was dlete irrinied. After
determining the quanti ty of motee'ial to be used, uncaiato iy~ed resin aild mat.
wi-re removed from all surfaces using mhethyl ethyl etore. All s'urf;ces

were dried with gaseous nitrogep and a lijt.-free cloth.

(U) After determining the required quantities lei the flinal assemibly, the

ait, was positioned on the tube cont.ours. T'he required quoa.itity of resin,
as previously determined, was catialyzed usirig 8 percent by wei ,ght tetra-

ethyl triamine. The glass mat was then impregnia.ted UiJi eca to] ied esn.
An additional 25 gramis of exceýss r-esia were added 4,, ensure ;;u overfill.
Contoured backup plates were ,c•, c.ub ed C. h ti1-e
ue ,lludl I with proper
1

a tta chmients. Excess resiii wos renro-xed and thlese

s.lLeiltre was cured lor a
minimum of 12 hours at a ruiIIUIJtI t.ilpeli-'t ure' O0 68 1 before pulfinrg arty
appreciable stresb on the adiresivi join,.

(U) All masking tape .-lad other devices used to ]pre'ven( the resin from

getting into suit ounding areas was removed afteLr erae of adhesive. Final
manchining opera, ions required after adhesivw= bonding were nict to be fol-
lowed by vapor degreasing. Only flushing or wiping with cold solvent were
approved as postbonding cleaning methods.

(C) Extensive tube damage was expriericed on the nickel-tube seg-

mena. during hot-firing tests. Unhique repair methods wore applied success-
fully to this segment which was subse(jiently hot fired without incident.

122

I
U11tC COPP'E:R TUngE-WAxiI, FAjYUCATION

MFIIC Copper Tube Process•ri

(U) Raw Material. Small diametcr, thin wall, seamless 01( copper tubing
(0.169-inch OD by 0.020-inch wall) procured to the roqul•cements o f ASTM
B17- Typc OF was used ini the fabrication of the tubes. In addition to the
rcquiremients ptci fied in the ASTM specification. an additional test to
check for the presenice of oxygn in the material was conducted on a sample
quantity of raw tubing. This test. consisted of h'sat.iag the tube material
in a dry hydrogen atmosphere to 1825 P 125 F and holding at temperature
fCr , h,,rs. utpon coMpletijon of tins thermal treatment, longitudinal and
Cross sect io**lgtraphic sa*riples were prepared and the microstructUt e
checke.d for ga3s:_in, and open grain boundaries which are indicative of
hy droegjn embritth-ient caused by excessive amounts Of oxygen in the raw
mrial. j
(U) All riqw tubing subjected to this teqs passed. Metallurgical evaluation
of specinaesi of tubirig during routine receiving inspection failed to dis-
close any injurious defects. The raw tubing was purchased from a vendor.

(U) Tapering. Prior to iapering, the raw material was annealed at

725 F ±10 F in a dry nitrogen atmosphere utilizing lRocketdyne's continuous
tube annealing furnace.

(U) The tapering of the tubes was carried out entirely with Rocketdyne's
manufacturing facility utilizing equipment developed by Rocketdyne specifi-

(U) Prior to beginning production runs, development tests were conducted

which determined the optimum tapering parameters to be used on production
tubes. Metallurgical evaluations were conducted on all sample tubes to
determine wall thickness and defect level.

123
 (U~) Th uta r'rri tu',",s ive :e px'rodurxu Ixn one tapelxi rig pass.
H L: Ir op1c1v
ss

r i - t a I rrrI-g i cal e a]II iii otIiS wev t - tpe- fo)vI med

ivJ. ii I-.
ox! ýr1IIi siuý-ipt
I e1an i I 1i)1ýi-i ikg
t'

raid~xx aaaf te
Ic a]
crnit ii g,. Tub 1 13 showts r aIt otI 111se cy iit1(11
alowig, withJ tlhose c oid at ted dot mx- tap- ii rig pa oiLe-:1.tr deve IupwiflI'll

(i Pixearirre2 I cicatidn-g ape rfl a iois we e petifox-med on raw turb igo pii-or lgi
pie taper anneal and 4rxbser~tic it to, taperingý a0 i ii j rg rut reis'rn. :tain

lec:hiiqires. Theiii'thevi were imxirrrsead in a bath of Freoxn JF and vi vax::-dI

1
(U) P'reforminrg arid Final Fer'mim;. Subs3eqiieri tv the fizu
ia arincat1irig of
tire s traightI Lapered I riibes, prel?1-
oIrI),", was rIIce 0crap. - Shut] . Fr nu'l fou i rjlg,
was acecompilishred in a eonntoured euvi lv book die. ire~cause- no in ierrtal
pressure wats exerifur oxi the tfi iihe as sii s in fo rmniig to final ot igirt-
tiuoi, itL was found neces.sary toaanneal the pr'eformo-d tuibes , TbIt s mxin' aI
acompl
'as: -ishied at an out si de sirppl ic uit I irirrg a batehr-l ypv fariruec
The tubes were aunneacr1 in the horizoxntal paid tiori iii jrv hydrogeni atrnjo-v-
phore at 925 F ±25 F for 5 mninutes9. Prearoicall cleaxxin~g was accor.,pl ished
using mire u]ltrasonie cleaning teehrrique previously .lescrijbed

(U) After book die forming, a ranidom sample of finisih formed itubes 'were
trib Jected to mnetallurgicul evaluation. During this evairhat ion, it was y-
veuIcdd that a number of tubes bad a flat spot oix tire hiot-gas crown at the,
throat regiron. This flat spot was a result of die nismnatch which was coy-
routed early in the forming operation; however, a nrnmber of tubes 'Were
rejected becatise of the condition. Fk;guinr: 46 shows the location of metal-
lograpiric specimens removed from the finish formed lobes. Figure 47 ShtrewOs
Ike' rr.s;,1 1 of ovAl ostions conducted oin finiish formed tubes and depicts
conditions observed. Ini addition to tire routine metali'ographric exariniatiwji
conluced on eUItL'~Uur u"it-l tttering ani neial inrg, mud f inal
fomir thed thermul £rnw teat &s-irt ta d voslna, ao ord
on a section of each tube subumitte-d for metallurgical evaluation. This

test wasi accomplished to increase the raesuitrace that all' trute waterial
'I ~was OFIIC co~pper. Noin' of tire tubes tetdii this maniner showed any cvi-
* dence of hydrogren emnbritt~lement.

5- 124
 o
.-
Pl0 I .0;4

I- S -

-0 F5 0.FýS

Pr C .-

U) 0j CO. CO.,

0--' 104

c 0 0, a 0 0 C)

00 0 0

C- I 0 o' Q"

0~ ~ 0- 0'
125- 0
 9itt
'Lw V

-ccc

IN
C-.

/ h
kn

cc/
- La

(1J6
 k'IU 9j\lLJ u PcII .jILUIi IJIAPLt.I

tt f
4A~.¾ K~

ilki
'C
A %~iS ataaat~st .~ ,.4

Ai IIi'oraph 0tilt Ru i'ilI(te Ivo i;;tI6 an

UL~
I ' "

(Fig, 46v
pl t g t l rj w l "
%oa c e Uýw
w '

- Ph to ph
ccrogi f ht as I x~r at cx s tomcr -in p l A,rioiýii01) surac
c

~ ro. iA Inca r igtn

c~ A,Anco
Na Ic~ - i.(IAg- 1 50Xtit(

Figure~h 'I7 Codtin Oh iv d x ho-_,its ieFoirne OFU Co-ppervl i

Tuti Ior Ancod reagteguMale23

I~~
______ ~~lf ___________ N_____ _
(IL) ,l tc filril j orturing. tall tubes were subjected to f1uure.cett poIIC

1 r1( i nrpec1t, i on (i,,12) i.,tlori hIe la Cl . olu.'ed and dhipped to the assiembly
"white r~ri
ou C1', stack'iing.

Asselrh]r I ran) r1'd of the c oppt r

Iig kIbu iar se-irlerri was -,cc Ur Ii sheird

:iccud
,dIICV- Iaprocedures
with utilized oil tile nichel segrleiteits . bjeea us
tile cuppvr tubesbv(?rc ialite trititard too sirurt , thie ýannr corrective arction
uts performer! on tire copper segmenttis was iw rflr.1med on the nicltel seg-
ment brazed. Afle r t hr first furnrace braze ele, a 10 p:si helium leak
ciere, r'':-en]ed that the tacgrntt was not leak The ,ssserbly was, r-

alloyed jiteugrat iTg resure teat. data and previous repair dlata obtained
frra tire furnace cycles of the 2.5iK nickel tubular segment.

(1) After the second furnace braze cycle, a 10-psi helium leak check re-
vealed the existence of only four leaks; three of these being tube-to-tube
leaks and tire fourth leak being, of tire tube-to-manifold variety. )ruring
tie second furnace braze cycle, ar I/2-inch-square copper strain gage pad,
0.020 inch in thickness , was brazed to tire OD side of the copper tube
stack aft of tile thr'oat Support beam. Tire three tube-to-tube leaks in
thc comrbustion zone were sealed by stylus silver plating. The tube-to-
manifold leah on the outside of the chamber segment was repaired with

SNM,) "QQ-S-571) sclder. Water flow testinrg of each copper contour tube
revealed thant norc were plugged with braze alloy or other foreign material.

128

Up-
2F
0MEMU
 24

(c)NIC ubeIIIICATrION 01' 20K S.GMINTS

S(C) NIGI 200 TUlE-hALL FABRICATION

(C) Nickel '200 Tube Prm(:(ssing•

(C) Raw r TlID ra;,w Cubing jurchased iror use in the labricatiatn
of the Nickel 200, 20K--segment coolant tubeB was pir-'.,ced from a vendoi,
Rhoutine metallurgical evaluition conducted as pa,.'i of the receixing in-
spection performed oil the row stoch revealed that, 41r. wal t thickness waaj
slightly higher than the maximum allowable for a 0.014-inch nominal wall.
The actual wall thickness of the tubing evaluated ranged frovi 0.0151 inch
minimum to 0.0156 inch maximum. The maximum allowable wall thickness by
specification requirement for 0.0!4-inch wall is 0.U154 inch. No injur-
ious defects were observed and no evidenct of intergranular attach was
found.

(IT) Tapering. Defore thle developmriet of tapeiiag paramueters was started,j

all materials which were t(o be used during fabrication and whichl would

contact the tubing were checked fur complt.ibJlity with Nick-i 200. The
materials, screened and periodically tested for compatibility, which ierae
used to fabricate the 2.5K Nickel 200 segiant tubes were agaiin used. Hoow-
ever, to ensure that new lotts of material wiere of the same compatibility

level, testing was condticted prior to use. The equipment and basic teclh-
niques used in the tapering of 2.51K tubes were utilized in the fabrica&ion
of the 20K tubes.

(C) Considerable development work was necessary because the engineering•

requirement for wall thickness on thc 2OK tubes was more stringent than

those for the 2.5K tubes. The task of developing tapering parameters to

achieve final wall thickness profile (0ig.ýl) was compounded by the fact
that the raw tube-wall thickness was above the 0.014--irsch no, in! valueI,_

1291
 j~ L niJ u --I C
Ix c, I

Wj - W <

r- .. u

.La L)L)LW
m-L 0I 7-~-m Z

Ln -T

LQ W
"<
zx C z =

Lj~ L)-

ix M0

L3JI I
-. (fo ) J-

0t C0
by aL hI'st 0.001 inch., Ihe successful tapu'ring tchuiqfac of mntlig two
tubes from oau bhufld and flhus cuttinig uJactcurinor time- to a miiim oumi
lhiul
was also employed in the tapering of the 20K tubes.

(U) ,Tapring
parameter developmient tubes wvrer metal!1U-i-ric 1 ... . Ia... "ted

and fouind to be of excellet quality. The expelie cee tai led durinlg the
talterinrg of tihe 2.5K tubes helped ilrwmea.urabl.v ill ad-vancitig the state o1' t
the ............
art R hc, tUi iic, J u 4'd
"t shows tuile contifigirativon afid loca-

ti o Of rt, 11 Jloglralhlic spec irietis. Tab- e l ti shows the results of th is,

exa 1uat ion. Once the tapel in piarameters Iere establi shet arid the results
of mctaliilorg ical eva I nati urns showed that the process was lepeatable illz

producirig high-quaility tubes, the 1,:anilnl for ~rod ucttion runs was
instituted. Table 15shows thie in-process control plan that was instituted.
ligure fi9. shows tle location of specimens removed during metallIurgica"
eval ual i oni.

(U) lResults obilained durnag the tapering of the tubes were : cellent-

Tile results produced pi ved without doubt that with the proper measuring
devices and engineering anolysis of the tapering process, parameters canl

be estbblished that will produce tubes of exceptional quaJity and con-

sistency.

(U) The tapereo tuies \were modu in one pass using improved taperirg dies.
The usc of these dies reduced the incidence of outside-diameiter surface
laps to ant insignificant qunantity. The depth of laps that were observed
was 0.0005 iuch. Table 16 shows the results obtained during in-process

control metallurgical evaluations.

131

This page is Uuclassified

 RIAALI V(101 CA . I. AA fLATI ON> CONDI)ITI 1) ON TA HUL.i
Mnsi>o N (1i '2)(

SIo ilicitI' ll, I~ Itc ý, , I I s ] Me I it I I o", k-i1 h ic

1 0.01 -- mximilum
tl3
0.13 it t I, IgI;ra I1U ' t *ait
0 .0125 ti it.013')

I)- U. 0 Idin
JiI iMUMl O.dl'O 0,112(0 No i 1 (t tcr~iaith
Iit Iot aticlh

C-I 1 ~ ~~~0.012-0
lait ii uu 0.1
I~P 0.0115 '~ ailt iIIJ
0. 0110 ruilni.aula

C:-2 1 01.01-40 niix i Pum 11N o.0i000 I -ac[1

rtt vgi Ii c
i taalk;1
0 .0)10 mtdlIi murn00 bmO I 1 .UNOW7.il(AI -d ~VCpI

13-2 1 U , 1 15 ma ximulan 0.0157 0 .0127 No illI cigraumlatu II .it 1.Lach

0 012-) tit I II innim

A-2 1 0 . 0153-Ia x i Plum

0.0125 min i ini ()0.(151 0. 01 '1I'S No mlt cl-gialwdlat 0 tiltacli

A-1 21 0 .01 -35 ma x imIumn .0't .O1't

o011 oml
it'g -g n0
u It
ai hi !~ich
0.0125 mi i IIi mixriU .0V2

11-1 2 t.0.13 71)Ia x\ MliUMl

C-I Ii
00.01250n Iiimllm00'T 0.lti N i~aUI t e
0. 1 illill iluflI 00 1 0.0 11) N jill( erratiih tlal v 1 ttahI

C-2 (2 0.0130 nIlitililUfll

0.9110 mi
0).0110
iinim1um
0.0116 No iiiturgxraiiular at taik

1'--2i 2 0 .0 1 fii
mut)InII;ux 1 0.0171
) 0.01136 No iII 'itit
rr ulato a Ltahil

A-2 2 0.0 155 rwi x imruni 0. (0V 1 2 0.0137, No1) 1t crgr tIIll 1it A- a t t ai ik
0 . 0!2i mjin
itimum

132

U 0 1L~
 @
';7YJrV lJýlU .-
WiA t HtML
I ,.6,-n
VAr-4L,0j02'U U2 L'
-c C 020)

ca 0. X3
co '-J C 'n0

0.. C)> C C) 24

ca.,
'4. t.
C ~ ~ CC.~ ~21 L4+
~ c a;0-

0-H CL CF3
20 H 44-4 ~ 0) - )
H't r02- )) -- 0

cu ca I,' W 4 0.cz4, a, a; C)j 4. W d Cl). w

(Al -2- ~
-C.,)02 -

r-4~
4) -H FP ~
C F .' '-u F c - t - . C 0 -4
iF.
iIn cO- w0 C ca .02. F c 4F1) m~H)
cu 00l C. - C 0 0 - .04) 0C -- C)0> 0 S

C. 02013 FU c; i
CS- a] Lo V- ri 0)--
a) 4--; 0L

02 C)'rrA CA.4 1" 0)0 tl

''.C 0 C 0 43

F-4 C. j 'M
z)C.H-
W-
o'- s 's--
C
c:2
-HP
'

CU 02 W0 0 0C-H - r.0)0

F, 54- 02COwF 0
CL
a) c242 C:)0 -
0L& 02'
H-I ~ ~ ~ 4 FCSC02- 000 23'O]
4 a-o r ' 4
IL-
:: 4-P 2r
W + t .S-'
RH p- F3 4 4

Lq 4 1 :4 -1C
ci Co m
-- 02 %:L 0 :!

ro4 cc

'5- ZCC

L)24 'P4 CI

S-2. r7,C

133
 UM ~~If n [I/AlIL
U10 [LE

Cf)-
C)

V-)

4,)
(A

-- 3'

w~ L1\
LI\ Lf. C'

0n

0~~g 0C c-s0

-n V)

U)3 I-.
cc 0l c
'-~ (A

t)t-

o V0oF`' 00 ,L C,
 0 On)3
.. CC r • .C

JL s.. ... . .

C I.
O C ' O
.. - C C-
C *'"C
C C C 0
0 C rC C

,CU• r--

0 _

I
F- " I

C,c

A0-- _
'0• __.
' C -uc ' • .I

0 0

135
(U) Pre formiing. Previous tcxpricuce during tire processinrg of tile 2,5k
Begrue. , Nickel 200 tubes sholwed that a consideral, number of hours were
ne

exipended in the cleeniiig rind hainduling of Lubles betwecii thu tapering opera-
tion and preforming. 1'o reducc produc.tion flow, t in_,e o_,m, t!li- o!.•:e
-f

tapered-iube damcage resulting from handling , d- ptilclCi~t u, orl Wacis accomp-

lished to d,'terminc whlcther or not "as-tapered" tubes could be preformed
without '011 Iju-ii e f il j)'KslAIpcr aninil allng operation. 'toolil]m ,W-as de-
veloped which mide the preforminrg possible. Mettall urgical evaluotions

conducled on pieformed tubes during tie development phase of thoe proiram

showed that tihe tubes met enginecring drawing requirements. Tab)1 17
shows result.ý of this evaluation.

(C) Final Forminig. Subsequenit to prel'orming the ns-tapered tubes, cICi-

ing was accomplishud in preparation for annealing by vapor degreasinig and

uIt rasonic leanino us ing the same techniques thaI were used to c lean t lie
2.51 segment tubes. The post-preform anneal was done in a manner idenlical
with that performed on the 2.5K segment Nickel 200 tubes utilizing the
same heat-treating source. Metallurgical evaluation conducted on a num-
ber of tubes after anneal and prior to final forming showed them to be
free from intergranula-r attack. Table 18 shows the results of the eval-
untion performed.

(C) The final forming operation was done utilizing a contour cavity book
die. Some concavity existed in the side walls of the tubes in the combus-

tion zone and exit 2nds of many of the tubes. This condition was exper-
tenced during final forming of the 2.5K Naclel 200 tubes also. The depth
of the concave depressions was 0.0008 to 0.0Ol inch.

(U) Results of metallurgical evaluations performed on finished formed

tubes are trjculated in Table 19. Figure 50 shows the areas on the formed
tu•L from wbcie inetalcigic-uhic specimens were removed for evaluation, and
Figure slhow• typical observe,'i cnditions.

136

U UIrL
D1,_
 (C) TIVILE 17l

TUDES (Rioooi 091\) HWOM MANUFFAC'iIUING L,01 ýsf12

(F"IGURE* 50 SHOWS LOCATIQNsý 01SIU ML

Cross Secti uu TOi w3

(k1,P

No. __A B CG ) - L 0bser-vatiol?

0.0137 0.0118 0.01h2 0.0146 0.0142 No int~ergranulai' attnch

2 0.01302 0.0113 0,0132 0.0142 0.01317 No iiitergranuhir attach

3 0.0142 0.0123 0.01'jý? 0.0146 0.01371 No initergranulai' attach

4 0.0142 0.0120 013 i60.0142 No intergraintlar attack

*fle1iuflements are as follows.

Column A 0.0125 to 0.01i55

13 0.0110 to t~.0131)
C 0.0125 to 0.0155
D 0. 0 j25 to 0.0155
E 0.0125 to 0.0155

137;

GIN"
d I 000RlkRI, 0 Fs
 oc

ho a -

0 >

-. I L- \Z CA C1 r

Cill r- N 4il
C"D u
cc C- L-

l 0 - 14 1 -4 ~
-1,- -

E-4 0 0D 0 0 C0 0 0D 00
M~II]
Q) CI C; C:

00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0D0

Q;
-0 L; CDC 0\ ~ C0 CD~-

0 0 000

rli ci ci00 ~~c C~0 -(=

CO
- CIl te\ -T - CA t-\ 41 ul\

b3 U2

* CC

138
cCý.-S- tfl- 4 N L^ N

00

0. CD a0

0u 0
M c,--C*
W r*L

0 0 C
C) '~0
)I CD

00 000 C)

U) Cz C) -4 -4J -4)~

Q 0 0 0 0
t-0 t--~ 0 10 C0

o,_ 0000
ug

0i -BIU 0 V- 00 A0 1A
 u3

Li Li
LaJ LLI c

LiJ
'X C.

Cl L0 z <

LiJ OD 6-1i

tn<
UJUJLI

0A -
C>217 EI
tJ li

LLJZi. 0
Li 4n of.
Lj 0 L

o- Ldi

VihC.
Li

I-n
LA. I- 0 Ml a

0 C.,

CAc. L'

Li
a~ ;
0-I--k
 WXWUV'WUL'
U SLP)L
NJ UU/!AMIY

C lfari
411 a
t'thr oat ( -Io0ý sectio ioi co~,i rua tion ill cmlias-
ig50)
l, 11 = hotgs~a crown. sj rime lo OV kCIut1
ethd
ýweclionl 1, Fig.
witi
it! jO 50 Ili trnt-acetic ra-eit c(]4oý_
. 5OiIl r ulcavilv.. onl
ef-sd lil.n
=ht-gas crownl.
Specime ethe wit 50-50 nlitric-

"141

PU"Fuo
RUN
(Ct i luoricsceit-jlwuetriuiii ili.sjwc(t iuOils liiSpifoloiiieil oil al I fil isit'she foz-ITIezl
tibe~usinileitrait. sollitik'iis, ez1iziU1i tiers, aml! dlC~ loper- whit'li were
(cPlihlat i I) I e' wit Ii Niche ' '204 ma i e ria I

( U) f1ian cleanlijizl ')f tihe tlliheo ph or~ltO OllilIippiii t0 tile NsiibvwitV

hot. t ri
roji was ) wdb nu oo cc a zigisIioreieIcel
at2 o C51I-
was done b~~~y
room x'pid c~ u i icICud ingt flUilusli ofig
ii the iisidC diamtr

for 5 tilii znn,e at ro ohl teiib;e ii La-Ce ill a ba thi of Feic-o TY.

Baffle Sent As semb ly andl Brjj/inp

1

((; ) luiziace, 112nizi zig oi the s3uhject, assenib lv wai3 aiccump]f i sliict wi tii a )OAli-
251'0-2)N i. biazc alloby tiat Vcz.iog teriperatur e of 2070 2-10 F.
ba Selectioni
of' thins brazilk", 1ll O. basd 1upol
lhas tue liced for a uma, erinl that, would
imt reimelt duiniizg subsequncit brazing uf the Iziconiel 718--N~ickel 200 bafflie
seaitts in to tizi tube-w it I I a,; seemb ties. The furntace braý. e tool ing c onceptI
6electedl for use onl the baffle soat was originally utilized ill furnlace
bratizing azivaic ed-designi thruost cihambeir segmenvix hardware . This. toolii ng
waA de-sigziod to a~pld yt aunzIuraial distrilbut ed deadweight load of alipro~i -

zirteuly 3 ps i oin the bafl ie seatv components durinog thec br'azing cycle.

(U) Disc repanic ies iii tire iii mice braze tuoo .11zi we icj~ partitailly respois ihi c

for rejec-tiou! of the first tw..o unit-, brazed. A d ielWuisi nu 1 -1-roi ill thle

bodlY locat ing surlace onl the f i ti-re base resii lted iiilli ai iau of
tub e-to-lindy midz' tube-to--cio suriie r late braze j o ints, whi ich contributedl
to leakage inl these joinits. Tine excessive hegtof the baffie ,ii'it boIt.

hole l ocato r Li xtnre pill prevented the fi xtiure~'eIitf roni ful l-,- ll S

ing the surface of the closure plate, lii lic contributed to icokago inl the

braze joinut between the c lo sure plate and bIody. Ill aldd iti on, tie fi?. lii-
ing- of tubes at the exit end of tire assembly proved to be inadequate,
a nd allowed lateral misalignment of tubes dulring' braZing.

(U) The brazing fixture was reworked to correect- the diimenisional di screp-
azncies tioied and to provide better access for aliloying the tube-to-bodL
josin bul -l•hin lig. .52. rovision .'a.Wal.so muah.' oil the fixtitre for
ajlv
lyiun' a mconstant 5-p1Ai loadinrg on the tulbes at the exit Cend (11l tile

a;Cscnbl inl al Aitteiiilt t1 1:iainuta in lateral tube III igumentt. Detais of

the briatn.
I I, Lalm icaLi on (Jf the 12 assembilieH requir rd for the ptrogriu ar1

I
pri'seitted in lable 20.

(VT) The lilrst Llwo unlits h ra,.od Acre luýdSeti beeoucnit to rejoction for

eviailation mcimiii s for repalir of post-furnace biaze 1eaklage, exit Cud tlube
misalignmeill., and tulie lefoi a i oli.
llit 'Tests wer'e cowluctced to determine if'
]ocal ized rcai r. of Icaklal:ge could be accollipl I shed uiti lizing the p1in.stlin arc
aid t. ;,..mste, 1/inert gams processce6 with 50,Au--23Pd-25Ni braze allo). The
large mIass differenlcee between the nickel ttie 3 and Iluloniel 718 body c :•1-
ponctints was found to be a silgnificoit restriction upon tile ability to

achieve Satisfactory repairs without subjecting tile tubes to dhlmage frorim

oerhicating.. As a result, retfurnaue brazing was selected as the method
for repaiiring braze joint leakage.

(U) Cold straightening was applied ý,u(ccessfully tu the correction of

e:.it end tube misalignment. The use of a hyd raulic press and suitable
tooling resulted in satisfactory realigruniert of tubes with
.- nlo effect on
tube flow characteristics or tube-to-tube braze joints.

(i1) A freeze-expansion forming technique iyaS( developed to repair deformed

tubes on finished baffle seat assemblies (Fig. 53) Water was placed in,-
aide the deformed tube and frozen by immersing the assembly in liquid
nitrogen. Expansion of the water upon freezing produced sufficient force
to expand the tube and remove the concavity. A final forming operation
was used to correct the overexpansion of the tube and restore the orig-
inal configuration.

End Plate Asseiriblv and DNr7i.ng

(V!) The four OFIIiC copper-type 347 stinless-steel end plate assemabie.is
required for the 20K program were furnace brazed with 6ICu-35Au-3Ni braza

This page is Unclagbified

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111ate, are Shloat inl Fig-. and machi ili is foi. braze alloy pi epi acing' is~

inud ica ted. Ilydio.stat i C pressnee testing of all1 four units ifter fir-st-
('Yetlebriaz in'" show-ed, no 1eakag"e. The not-gas-sidec surfatce' of the la,3t
tw-.o un1it- s 1I iLeti we'CM
clu 1irid ats a1 result of Iinideqinite restraent ofI t1hiis.
surf1,ace duigpre-ssnie test. jug. The bulged areas were safl slactorily
iewoikted b)y hanld formling to en1snre propei fit-ulp with ulati Lig cumijuitetits-

aitSscId
lite-hl 1Assembl\y mýd llraztrxg,

V1) 'The t oner eqik i r-ed tithe-wall a ssemb i es we-Cre furt-1iac e I)i-izedti it jIii z ing
tielae f ixtari ng- concept thait was ajul ieci to lliigt!!h-
i QCS. S.'otme d Ctai I of t is
batfl 5(11

ty\pIe 0O"f fi. tiiiri 11" a)iVe shown-1 i Li Jhg. -

L
Iwo fn tinate rhia, ilig CYCle
1 "Cr
WIC e'i o vtied Onl each tithe wvall ilt an al[tem1:pt,
to obtakin a leaktijrlt -structure pri or to brazinig tile tulte u~al Is inl the
fii nl citaj:tber, segt'eict assemblyv. TIie firest cycle required brazing wi th
90A{--iU-JOd alloy atý 1975 '10 F, followerd by a second cy)cle at 1lt;0- t10 F
tirýin' 2-- N nil o'. A 0.01 0-imelt-thiicl nickel backup sheet incltudetd
11a tile o.cigrilnal t le.w 1 esign~ was t~o hav-e beeti furnace brazed to the
oljct-er anld exit end" roan Loins and to tile cold -wt- 1 side of tubes ink tile
tittbe-wttll assemblies. Difficulties were enicountered inl formingý this
shteet to the tube-wa] 1 outer-motod line w-itht sufficient accuracy to meet.
Yeqttiired tube-to-back~up sheet braze Joint toleranceý-s. As a r-esult, thle
backuLp slieet, Nqas -liminatod ft-ow. thte tube--w.ail tisserih~,1';and appropri-a t
-hmgsinl
fala-ication procedures were establ ished.

(U,) Thie extent of leakage Cxp~erienced and the rejaiar m~ethods appliled
folowig
fn-nr 1,.,v or of the
)1 txd-xcallj assenl~l iecs is shownt in Tabile 21.

A1significant decrease inl lezdage at tube-to--injector enld mlanifold joinjts

resulted f'rom chantges in assemb~ly) arid all cyitig procedures w~hichi w'ere jiti-
tiater! on unit, No. 1 tube wall. Titese included thle following:

1. Application of nickel paste filler ill additica to tne triatignime

nlickel filler wires at tube-to-manifold ,joints-: prior to preplac-
img tile first cycle braze alloy paste

147
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Thijb pagec in Unclassiified

 2. Assembly of tube-wall componelnts on tire br'aze fixture, taick
1yehlingg of the injector end mauifold comsponrents, arid removal of
the assembly from tire fixture iil preparatior fur braze alloy

preplacement

3. Application of a braze alloy paste fillet at tile tube-to-marrifold

joints and all other braze joints, excluding tube--to-tube type,

prior to replacing tire assembly on tire braze fixture (Fig. 56

n"(1t 57).

(U) Pri''r tu these changes, all filler material and braze alloy paste
appplications were made with the tube wall assembled on tile braze fixture,
which permitted no access to tire tube-to-manil ,ld joint area noted ill
Fig- 56.

(it) Visual examination of urliL No. I tube wall following the first fur-
nace brazing operation showed that both outboard tubes had been displaced

toward the brazing fixture in the throat area, resulting in their lateral
misalign'rent with adjiacent tribes,. It -was concluded that this coyrdit.iorr

vas caused by the inability of Iiefrasil cloth placed betweetr the tube wall
awl brazing fixture to foil .v:the grt•wth of the fixture during furuace

brazing. This3 would resrlt irt the liefrasil cloth beinrg shorter thlmr the
braze fixture and tube wall at or Ireir the brazing tevmperature, tihus
i
climinitaw, the support of tire Refrasil under tile owltboard tubes arrd alJow-
ing them to move do\'n toward the fixture (Fit. 58). Prior to performing
furnace birazing roperations on unit No, 2, the brazing fixtur' wa-', modified

as shr-nw it, 1i. 59, which elirinated any further occurreuce of tire problem
experienced witIh unit No. 1 tube wall.

(U) A Lole through thie crown of onie tube was dis.coveree during tire pres-,
.- ure testing of unit No. 2 tubhe wall subsequent to coc:pletio'r of the first
furnace brazing cycle. rxamitnation of tile tule at nagnificatiou revealed

no characteristics to indicate wh,:at ray have c.-cated tire diarontinuity.

Laborator-y brazing tests were conducted on the 1,itL of braze alloy paste

that was used on this unit in an att.mpt to ritvecmirne if sowe coontamilinuat

in the puste had caused tire disconrtinumity. Test results negative.
licr

__ 151

Thiis paýe is Urie• e.n a•f•Led

.-. -.
 :171

4
V [11.V

40

fillitil

1 re5u
v',iu Tuhe htall Assembly iAL0AJUMI~ Fo 11Ofii 7si Przilg, lixture
Cold Side Up (Arzeas lini']iatud It'varol'S, (A) ri'ealloyý paste fillet
n p ) I i ed t o t i )e - t o-IIJ ,000 12 1 ma i f I. Id ,j 1)1i 1)R), IjeuinII
tlrhI IIuuIIi t N . 2;
(lýinjecc or end mauidfo hi cavity (lio shidowun in t is vi cw) i.!ucoughl dulicli
in~ternal braze *jojints were a] Olved )ports -ill exit end1 maliifo 1(
through -'Iui ci jinternal braize *joills were all oYeud

152 L' m
FbL 1 ýR
L

iW

AL;in

I 01

Figure 57. hot-Gas Side of 10L000]08X Tube Wall1 Assembly 3Bown it) 1i4. 56 (Areas
indicated by arrows: (A) braze alloy paste fillet app] ied at, tube.-
to-exit enid nanif ulhijoints, hot-gas side; (B3) braze a] toy paste
fillet applied at tulmu-to-exit. end anaifOhi joinltS, codx lSide;
(C) braz;e alloy paste fillet applied at tiijc--to-lLLOO00l2OY. iani fold
joints; (D) fusion tack weldI between RIOOO0).20X and IHL000121X iiiawi-
fold for fixturing purposes.) 15

Ir
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154
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c155
Braze *joint leaks that existed in the tube-wall assemblies following
second-cycle brazing (Table 21) were manually repaired to ensure maximum
ntegritv of each tube wall prior to assembly -rid brazing
of chamber
assemblies. Lnboratory tests showed that the 82Au-lSNi braze alloy applied
to tube-to-manifold leaks would not be affected by the subsequent chamber
assembly furnace brazing cycle. The same braze alloy was not to be used
for repairing the hole in the tube on unit No. 2 because of the potential
for remelting the alloy during subsequent furnace brazing of the chamber
asscrmbly, and therefore, the higher-temperature 90Ag-lOPd alloy was selected
for this application. An exception to the procedure for manual repair of
leaks following second cycle brazing was established with unit No. 2 tube
wall. A tube-to-tube leak adjacent to the baifle seat was repaired as a
part of -tbe subsequent chamber assembly furnace brazing operation to
avoid posw!b112 stress cracking of the Inconel 718 baffle seat components
associatec with manual brazing.

(U) Plugtled tubes were evident on unit No. 3 and It following first-cycle
brazing. The plugging was located at the exit end of both units, and was
a result of the braze alloy flowing into the tube ends or the inadvertent
applicat on of braze alloy paste in the tubes during preparations for
brazing. The absence of tube plugging on the preceding tube walls indi-
I p,ssible omission of the required braze stopoff application in the

,,ll:!'tubes that were plugged on unit No. 3 and 4. This condition was
corrected by abrasive blasting the braze alloy plugs from inside the tubes.
This peration was accomplished with no evidence of tube damage, and sub-
sequEnt testing verified acceptable flow characteristics of these tubes.

Thrist Chamber Assembly, Brazing and Repairs

(1) A 50Au-50Cu braze alloy was selected for furnace brazing the thrust
c lamber assembly based on laboratory evaluation tests conducted in con-
,unction with the fabrication of 2.5K th'rust chamber segment hardware.
Braze fixturing consisted of a flat rlate with means for locating and
fixing one end of the chamber assembly and applying a constant load

156
(approximately 5 psi) normal to the copper end plate at the opposite end
of the assembly.

(C) Various braze joint gaps were observed during assembly of the first
unit, the locations of which are noted in Table 22. Shims that were in-
serted at end plate-to-tube wall outer-tube joints moved out of position
during the furnace brazing cycle, causing leakage at these joints. Figure 60
shows this assembly following the furnace brazing cycle; shimmed areas
are indicated. The gaps that were evident in the shimmed braze joints de-
pic!.ýAl in Fig. 61 after furnace brazing were attributed to the following
factors:

1. The thermal expansion difference between the type 3147 stainless-

steel manifolds and the Nickel 200 tubes in the tube-wall
assemblies caused an increase in the tube-to-end plate braze
joint gap during the furnace cycle.

2. Seizure during the furnace cycle of the pins in the mating holes
in the end plate (Fig. 60) at the end of the chamber on which
a constant fixture load wa. -pplied resulted in additional gap-
ping at tube-to-end plate joints. This condition also caused
the formation of gaps in the exit end bean-to-end plate joints
as shown in Fig. 61.

(U) The tube-to-end plate braze joint gaps observed during the assemlAy
of the first chamber were a result of the tube-wall width being undersizc,
predominantly in the throat area. This condition was evident to the g,'elat-
est extent in tube-wall unit No. 2 and 3, which were assembled with one
less than the nominal number of tubes. In addition, measurement of the
width of tubes assembled in tube-wall unit No. 4 showed the tubes to be
approximately 0.0005 inch narrower in the throat area than the balance of
the tube length. These two factors and possible restraint imposed on the
tubes by the fixture during tube-wall brazing appear to havy contributed
to the undersize throat condition in the tube walls. Efforts to develop

157
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 CNi

5-

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139Ur

11 DoEe VJ
 two r ,o30i i aLi o -t re .o ted iAn a significant i mprovemcrt in tie

brazil.,g c0 the seCvx.41e chlaltbe" , as indicated by the aI;sertce of ga.ps

ntL 1h•f exit. ,rij] 1,e~tlm-.tg-eld plate joints.

~ 13Qi
o.!t (-Ihainber ,--%It. L6I edj jji r toarch b razil/n g f4t tu I)e-to-
Itriajjage f'ol j'
111
enid plate joints tdiichl 1.1a- repaired its described in Table 2_3. T'h, internal ,
LU;
-b J,!,iik t. o t:,k6 f'.1tiioifot le;-, age (lealiage from manJ!'old catvity to vent
tr.,it) the ,w.),ifold) exp~erionced oi unm
it, Noý. 1I ,a• avoided on untit No. 'z i

b lt"lodif u vI
in). . pr1.1 so'w test procedures applied to tire tube-wall a:,secn-

blies, Th is ;Oerni ited detection amt corr-ection of leakage ioi thib area
pit cio' 1. a:sstrit.h ai:l b riazing , Itlhe chamber.

."l
I l rou hieapm ¶ev iI 1 f" Iiu1i 1%1if.,l1
(Cover Plates
Vll

(ii) 'the d(esif.r; of the 201K t, huM church. r iiirorporated I rectangular pl,'e t

(30'jl. stainlessA stee.l) -lectrau b!)r-am U-lded into a matching recess itn the
upper oijeniog almvv tile tuoes ov the thrubt chamber brody (347 stainless
!3tee)I 'ITLe primfoy3' purpose of this cover was to provide a dam to prevent
brazing alloy from running into and plugging the thrust chamber tubes dur-
ing attachment of the upper thrust chamber flange. The only problem en-
-untiered .vas distortion caused by unequal mass on the sides of the joint.
Tlhe configuration was such that the cover provided firm lateral restraint,

causin.rg the smaller outer edge to bow inward. Although this eifect was

small, less than that which would hav? occurred with other welding pro-
cesses, it war. stýill excessive. The bowing was discerned during selding

of samples to establish the welding schedule, using low-voltage equipment.

t
In, thii time tihe actuiai parrs had been machinedt beycnd the piur whjere
extra mass could have been left on to compensate for the uidesirablo
differential.

(u) In an eftort to reduce the distortion, the joint thickness was reduced,
restraining toolinig was applied, and a "back-step" weld pass sequence was
employed. Even with these precautions, distortion was considered excessive-

A poitweid, prebraze, stress--relieving operation was requireJ to bringi the

Farts back into proper dimensional conditions.

160

This page is LJiclasstfted

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fligure 61. View of Area of Thtrust Ciotauier Indicate-d ')y Arrov~ (F) in Fig. 60,
ShoII JI Ga i C Tid i t -i oni Af i( t lu
r i Iiit ce Ptriit :ig (Areasi indivalted by
iI'1
q(A)
11 01,11C Copper sit i iii iz tilr t ed pr i or to braz i jig ;(11) lprazc,
joinit voikbo I ypical ol all Ifour corInvr-: 01 Chiamber;- (t") 1111)001; 9X
exi t end beam- to-end pl ate ;tinttgp i edocomf oxuiy.)

ga, ndo

UbL AI
 l oh :)all, '41
2 vs tor i ag tile roq.: :cd it;roat dimenk,, iQUi oil brnzcC
a Sui fable intc thud for
lube wallsi were not ýac~ccer~siui. The priocedorc-6 for a~s~eaiblixig unit_ Nou.
cit wits i'tu ag rtChi,.Iwhen thet ti~tii- wal 1 iteincsi onall prolbt1 1
I
t wits di:SCO','CrcM, we-re modified &asfollIows:

3. Iteirasil elat 'Wits applied to the fixt'ure tithe conta-ct serf,,ce

with the weave of tihe cl',th orient-ed &,atp 5-degree, angle with1
respect to the cut's 31f the fixtu~re. to achieve gýreoter stretching
oif tile clothl dilrilng brazilig, thuts in ilW]Zjflpt trbe restraint-

2. After- as-sembly ailld before fo.ý'nace braxAiug, tile tlb-os were medianl-
ically Worked inl tile th..oat. area inl .411 v fsort *tu J(C~reas~e ttibe
w idtt;. Tnhese nnlifieat ions resulted icr a ;.igaifieant imprevcpl'n!t

in ~iwibo
~~ ~ v ~ ntNo
~ ~itl~ ~ a~~o this pro-

(C) trchbr~ing
rocdur wa esablihedandappiedto thle f'irst

chabe fo
ub-t-en
salng pati, rae jin v into Jurtube-to-2
uend plates jozeiints; tile orntrs adjaen
ond carbeas aerparetedf to~ approi--
caedy 4to using quartzin
Frvd frae laphe rater arioa adaeto torhe bezing

Tic k5Ag--l5Clx-167-2kCd (MIL-,S13395, type -7)braze silloy wa-s used for

this. avnplicati on, and subsequenit visual examination irn'irated Sati~factory
rraze flow andi Joint; filletin~g.

(U) "he assembly arid brazing procedures for the second chamber -Were
%,cquently modified as follows:

1I Shi.armting ni tube-to-end plate braze joint gaj.: was eliulinated

prior to furnace brazing.

2. The pine3 ox. the tube-<wali exit stnd manifolds were. covered with
ItefrasilI cloth. and t"he maiting houles int the, end pslates werc 11'
red
0.060 inich oversize to minimize possible pin aei"zure.

3. The braze fixture c~onstant load appliedl to one end plate of thc
assembly was increasfied fram 5 to kipproximately 10 psi.. The -tatter

IN 111ý,O
 londoing of 'I Titni um Ifiehuji SIi-net tire to Tbits

(C) IN-n I on t i on tesqtsb were pc-r formued t o d eveIop t he t cohn i (Iue lie ces,4sax-
for thle saleceess fu 1Iuse of adhe sives for- thle stru t-f nra I bond ing of i it ant urn

5 structutre to the

nel udedk lii

i cite]
dive] opmtnt of opt imum:
tube b undleo of the 'JON segments. Thitso test se-ries

I. Metal leltjniiia anti surjface ni-Onfirat jot) protediics ftoi Ilithel

aind 1.it anilinianta irprti05Oe

2. Finw sey-sx~tvies for evech adhsli-c-v-metal c ombinat ion

). Adhovs ive-s sub hobst combdinatIionps ofmehnclports vr

the ope ratIing I empe en 1 re range

u Applien lion!, and cure svstems for ll.se wit tiill, litst adiheosive

. l'-Žputrnl ioe of spec iictat ions9 fori the- usc of'1tie niivst promisinrg

As a rvkmIti of the0 ic (j\!)u,9ttoit toests, ¶ ti( adhes-ive bont1irig teclin ique,

i nc I uC. taig dott i-rninatioio of tie-ch
ltjhintss: of adhe sivXe requnired, metal prep-
kiration, a~nt primintng processes, selection of anl ndlesi-e, assembl1y proce--
dur-es, tint! curinig -ciedul('; . was dove]loped fo~r lioutiing the t itaniumi backup
st ruoturk- to the 20K torotin]l segmient itule baundle,

(U) The b ei:esof tlie i-eqnuired a'lhe ivie wais dticerisi nd us inrgIoc
Vei-ita

6013 Strips *ill a trial asseuibiY. -' iguro 62 sihows strxipts or Vexi film appliedK
oni the( tube buolne.

()Thle adhe;. i ve u sed f or t he bond ing ope ra t ion was anIep1oxy -:1' in 10-i dacron
mat- 9u~ported filt-a. I'igiiro 63 shows the adhesive filIm a;.;] led to a ti -

A - tn ion baHchop structure. Tb is adhes' ye wvas used ill con~junctiono w-it Lb 1-38
primer. A s4tandanrd epoxy resin (Upon 828) was usedI to fill the gl;: between,
the backup stricu' oreý and] the sa-id plates. Ini addit~ion, a!) RTX~ silicon rob-
her (RTv 560) uads ujed as a vibrati on dumjteninrg rtge;;t in thle cavity
between the bottom of- the backup structiure and the touter po:-Cion of the
exit manifold.

Rn
rV
C)
08A1
0,1"
F0
MN_
(U) The hot firing tcsts were successfully completed even though sub-

sequent analysis revealed minimal bond between the adhesive and tubes,
and good bond between the adhesive and titanium backup structure.

(C) The lazk of bond between the nickel tubes and the adhesive was a
primer failure caused by improper clcaning of the nickel iubes. In
addition:

1. Backup plates were not completely bottoned during assembly,

resulting in reduced pressure on adhesive during curc.

2. The locution of backup -3tructure and baffle seats was not

positive enough to assure that loads were applied to the ad-
hesive film during through boilt torquing operations.

3. IBecause of the absence or loss of pressure on the adhesive

during cure, there was essentially zero bond strength in
those areas.

16'5
r rl)I)tA I LWOCk
lf 7n1
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u03A U uLL- L S LN u
it

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ý674
INJECTOE FABR~ICAT ION

haf ic Assemily and ll.raiiitg

haUe For l f subjeict 1

assclublie tr ~liinace
fur9W' biraze-d us ng 62Cu-'ijAii-'INj

brazea Io. .The braze Lh bricat ion historly for' these un it isi presente'd

wStil11ISea] t
(41 I]hI
subjec-t ilig' ti'4 Coperq1IIt raz j.uitiuinile
ti 011) , usili

the 62h-5A-Ni aza' a] IoY . L.'aka- inl thos -t wCatrbue

to excesn 4.' ,Jp in t lie ad jauvl1t ( oppe r hl-t-Ii 171'bd on

(Pii . 64i ) '.'i ci rcsti 1 ted ili biraze- all oy s turx'a in oilof iie bit-eve -i o -'s ItelI1
joinits. hird anmd fouirth~ units wats modlified to inclutde
Preparat ion of thellii
thei pie pI ý-ccutu' of 0.002-inc li-Lu i-A: brazte a] a e sleie ini the ice-o
she i (ii ut Ii wh oliimuiliitod tho s tarxiat i o and subse(]Iimi t 1 eikagc, ill
I he se joiints

11lteetor As setithiv and llraz i n

(U) Th(- hi-a7e joliut Ccoi'f.i gu'at ionj betwtken the injoect or st rips and biody.
onl the 20h w~as sitnilamr to the, conf igurations used onl the 2.5K and 250K
3injeclos Th oymtra) was. type 347 stLainless s9teel mnd the strip
material wats OFIC coppe- . The brazo joint. area on the strips werc gold
plated, and nickel plate w.,.- applied to the body. The platcin.T thickne!:ss
onl both parts uaai 0.0002 -to 0.O0001i inch, The braze alloy utsed was
(;2CLI 3jAu-'31%.i for tlie firsut braze cvci e arid 82Au-l8Ni for the lm.ecoiid braze

cycle with a brazeý lemperature of' 190, 1 to 1920 F anid 1800 to 1825 F,
resroctit-ely. ýZo laboratory tests wen, conducted 1-9lore brazing this
i
unit becaus~e data had been accumu'lated from2 previous experience in brazingr
the 2.53K injector's.

A68

This page, is Unclassif±'d

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.
OlWF

'Bus page iL' Uuclussific$

 Co

I ;. r, :C ;

0 c c c T,

C)a;a

A-A-

W.2 A 'l]

11-id
(ir The retort used fur the No. I unit in (his opera( lan hadl been 1 oni-
tatiui t*ed on the inside diameter surince from a previous-- beat cv' le. Tis-
'l
con1d it ion cent Arnlina tell the atm~osphe~re during the firs5t hi aze cycle. xe-4
Lsuit ing ini some void areas --, the braze Joints. The nailI re( eiven a see-(,

cc2t;wa oeatio1ni with a triaberNi iii::. Braze of18or e 81)1i. accnd

to

hyd rugen atuiosphere-. A le uk test with he) tur go s at 6O psi disc 1obeni II" j
leakagc.

(iU) Thu first. braze cycle oin itnit No. 2 wasi! perfuruie~d at the same NA4l
f ae I itLy. Prior to pressure testing. Plast~i-waix was uss.ýd It9 seal lropi 1-
lant orifices (described previously for 2)50K injector pi ueesdng) . Pres -
sure testi"ng with helium gas at 60 psi revealed one pniuhole LVAk at, the
strip end. This leak was repaired by cut~ting L snial~li ep.-esstion ait the
Ionic area and fillPing the, depression by tunigtt-ti ýsýrt brzing wiI
Iw
82Au-iSNi alloy. This unit did not require .) aeox'\,, itwtwsce braze opjeratLi pn.

(U) iLie thermocouple location durnng iii braze cv.-le airl the assemblyI
posi flea in the furlicce is shuiowu in Fig 6,ý

2I

1711
01K1,9D Z k
it
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& 00 LAi

iI Ir 12

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-----
----

This page is Unclaosified

 CONFIDENTIAL
Security Clalsification
DOCUMENT CONTROL DATA - R & D
oreatll report Is tasu-titd)
'Security Classification of title, body of abstract and indexing annotation must be entered when the
authorl 2a. REPORT SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
I OR IGINA TNISG ACTIVTY (CMpoC*Ie

Rocketlyne, a Division of North American Rockwell CONFIDENTITAL

Corporation, 6633 Canoga Avenue, Canoga Park, 2b, GoUP

California 913011 4
3 RECoPT ADVANCED CRYOGENIC ROCICET ENGINE PROGRAM
TITLE

AEROSPIKE NOZZLE CONCEPT-MATERIAIS AND PROCESSES RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT REPORT (U)

4 DESCRIPTIVE NOTES ("ype of reoort and inclusive da0ea)

Final Report, November 1967

5 AU THOR(SI (First name, middle initial, last name)

Rocketdyne Engineering

6 REPOR• DATE 7a. TOTAL NO. OF PAGES [7b. NO. OF REFS

0 January 1968 184I 0

Sa. C YNTRACT OR GRANT NO 0a. ORIGINATOR'S REPORT NUMBERIS)

6 R-7251
AF04( 11)-11399
i. PROJECT NO.

9b. OTHER REPORT NO(S) (Any other numbers that may be as.sined
this tepot•)

d AFRPL-TR-67-278
,o CISTRI13UTION addition to securi y requirements which must be met, this
57ATEMENT "In
document is subject to special export controls and each transmittal to foreign
governments or foreign nationals may be made only with prior approval of AFRPL
(RPFR/STINFO), Edwards, California 93523."
7 SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 12. SPONSORING MILITARY ACTIVITY

AFRPL, Edwards, California

13 ABTRACT (u)
Reported herein are the results of Materials and Processes effort related to develop-
ment and fabrication of experimental Aeroý:pike thrust chamber hardware.

This report includes information relative to the selection of materials and informa-
tion concerning the fabrication of the 250K combustor bodies and injectors, the
development of the small tapered thrust chamber tubes, and the development of tooling
and successful brazing of the small tubes to backup structure, and the injectors.
Fabrication details of the 2.5 and 20K segment hardware is also included.

Highlighted are: (1) Data for prediction of tube life, based on elevated tempera-
ture cycle strain tests, analytical calculations, and life cycle tests, (2) the
development of small-diameter, tapered, variable wall thický,ess, formed tubes with
an internal surface roughness requirement, (3) the brazing of the small tapered tubes
to the backup structure utilizing the pressure bag concept, and (4) the thermographic
method of braze bond inspection..

DD ,FORM1473 CONFIDETIAL
SeCurtV Chl-.•SifiCa tinn
CO'IDFVPT.\ T,
Security Classi•fcatton -

LINK A LLINK a t.INE

KETO-0
.. L. "* I ROLE W T " 1
WL

A,,rospike
I
Aniular Configuration
rhrusz Chamber
Injector
Tubes, Type 347 Stainlez3
Tuhes, Nickel 200
Brazing, Furnace
Tubes, Snall Diameter, TMin Wall
Tube Forming
Tubes, Repair of
Brazing Development

- -
I -mm-
-m

CONFIDEtyALsi
Secu~rity C12Z~ffiCatiOn