High Pressure Combustion Laboratory (HPCL)
Under the leadership of Dr. Kenneth K. Kuo, Distinguished Professor of
Mechanical Engineering and Director of the High Pressure Combustion Laboratory
(HPCL), research in the HPCL has concentrated in the area of combustion of solid
and liquid propellants for rocket and gun propulsion systems as well as solid
fuels for ramjets and hybrid propulsion systems. Recently, the scope of research
expanded further to cover combustion of airbag propellants and other energetic
materials for commercial applications. On-going research topics include
fundamental studies in propellant combustion and ignition, rocket motor
performance analysis, safety and hazard problems, jet breakup mechanisms in
liquid propellant rockets, ballistic behavior of gun propellants, flame
spreading processes over aluminum sheets and energetic foils, ignition and
combustion of single metal particles, combustion of solid fuels under hybrid
motor conditions.