Under the supervision of Professor ZHANG Peng, a team of final year Mechanical Engineering students - Mr. YANG Senzhen, Miss TIAN Jinming, Mr. PAK Ngo Fung Ryan, and Mr. CHAN Kwan Ip Edward - has been honored with the Best Student Design Award by the IMechE (Institution of Mechanical Engineers) Hong Kong Branch. The award was presented on 15 May 2025 in recognition of their outstanding project on the design and performance analysis of impinging jet injectors for propulsion systems.
About the project:
This aerospace-related project focuses on the design and cold-flow testing of a key component in liquid rocket engines—the impinging jet injector. During the design process, the team initially manufactured a simplified jet-collision nozzle to build their interpretation in fluid dynamics. They investigate how the flow pattern and atomization performance varied with key parameters, such as mass flow rate, injection angle, and the physical properties of the injected fluid.
Based on the insights gained from the initial stage, the group then proceeded to design and fabricate a prototype impingement-jet nozzle, which incorporates all the essential functions of a real liquid rocket engine nozzle, including oxidizer-fuel impingement, flow regulation, and necessary liquid-film cooling capabilities. Subsequently, comprehensive cold flow tests were also carried out at CityU, encompassing three key experimental procedures: the fuel injection test, the oxidizer injection test, and the fuel/oxidizer impingement test.
The team's innovative approach, rigorous experimentation, and engineering excellence have distinguished them, earning them this prestigious recognition. Congratulations to the team and Professor ZHANG Peng on this well-deserved honor!