Rocket Propulsion Basics

Thrust and Impulse

Seitzman Thrust and Impulse-1

Copyright © 2003, 2006, 2017, 2018 by Jerry M. Seitzman. All rights reserved. AE6450 Rocket Propulsion

Static Thrust
• Consider engine on
ground test stand
ue , pe
– not moving (static)
– steady m

– quasi 1-d flow

 x pa
momentum 
conservation 
    
u dV   u u rel  nˆ dA
d
Fsolid body cross 
CV on fluid
 pnˆdA   
free free
shear dA   fdV 
CV

dt CV CS

      pe  pa Ae  0  0 
d
dt CV
 0dV  m ue
Can also get thrust from force balance
  m ue   pe  pa Ae (must know press. distribution around
inside!! and outside of engine)

Seitzman Thrust and Impulse-2

Copyright © 2003, 2006, 2017, 2018 by Jerry M. Seitzman. All rights reserved. AE6450 Rocket Propulsion

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 Equivalent Exhaust Velocity
• Definition
in Europe
ueq  ue 
 pe  pa Ae sometimes  c
sometimes
equated with Isp m (instead of ueq)

– combines momentum change and pressure

force terms
– written for convenience

  m ue   pe  pa Ae    m ueq

– ueq ue that would get for perfect expansion

Seitzman Thrust and Impulse-3

Copyright © 2003, 2006, 2017, 2018 by Jerry M. Seitzman. All rights reserved. AE6450 Rocket Propulsion

Impulse

• Impulse definition
I   Fdt
– substituting equiv. velocity
I   Fdt   dt   m ueq dt

– assuming steady exit conditions

total mass of
expelled propellant

I   m ueq dt  ueq  m dt  m pueq

Seitzman Thrust and Impulse-4

Copyright © 2003, 2006, 2017, 2018 by Jerry M. Seitzman. All rights reserved. AE6450 Rocket Propulsion

2
 Specific Impulse
• Definition I sp  I m p for steady-state

 ueq I  m pueq
– gives performance of rocket per kg of propellant
that rocket has to carry to achieve mission
– higher Isp means less propellant required
• thus more payload that can be carried
• or lighter, smaller rocket can be used
• Normalization
– to get same specific impulse in all major unit
systems, typically normalize Isp by Earth’s
gravitational constant (gravity at Earth’s surface)
 I  g e  9.81 m s 2
units of time I sp    g e  ueq g e not necessarily g

 mp 
(seconds) where rocket is
for steady-state
Seitzman Thrust and Impulse-5
Copyright © 2003, 2006, 2017, 2018 by Jerry M. Seitzman. All rights reserved. AE6450 Rocket Propulsion

Liquid Bipropellants - Examples

Combustor Bulk Avg.
Oxidizer BP/FP Fuel BP/FP Temperature Density C* Isp
(C) (C) (K) (g/cm3) (m/s) (s)

O2 -183/-218 H2 -253/-259 3010 0.3 2420 390

O2 RP-1 ~210/-50 3680 1.0 1810 300

O2 UDMH 63/-58 3600 1.0 1860 310

O2 NH3 -33/-78 3080 0.9 1800 295

F2 -188/-220 H2 3960 0.5 2560 410*

F2 Hydrazine 113/1.4 4680 1.3 2210 363*

N2O4 21/-12 MMH 86/-53 3390 1.2 1750 288*

N2O4 RP-1 3450 1.3 1650 275

Optimum performance; 1000psia (6.94MPa) combustor; pe=pa=14.7 psia (1 atm)
UDMH=Unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine (CH3)2NNH2 Hydrazine=N2H4
MMH=Monomethyl hydrazine CH3NH-NH2 NH3=Ammonia
*Hypergolic Mixture (ignites on contact)

Seitzman Thrust and Impulse-6

Copyright © 2003, 2006, 2017, 2018 by Jerry M. Seitzman. All rights reserved. AE6450 Rocket Propulsion

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 Solid Propellants - Examples
Combustion
Propellant Metal Temperature Density Isp
3
(wt %) (K) (g/cm ) (s)

Double Base 2530 1.6 230

DB/AP Al (20) 3870 1.8 265

Polyurethane-AP Al (20) 3480 1.8 265

PBAN-AP Al (16) 3480 1.8 263

HTPB-AP 3000 1.8 250

HTPB-AP Al (17) 3480 1.9 265

Double Base= homogeneous mixture nitroglycerine-nitrocellulose
C3H5(NO2)3-C6H7O2(NO2)3
AP=Ammonium Perchlorate PBAN=Polybutadiene-Acrylic Acid-Acrylonitrile Terpolymer
HTPB=Hydroxy-terminated Polybutadiene

Seitzman Thrust and Impulse-7

Copyright © 2003, 2006, 2017, 2018 by Jerry M. Seitzman. All rights reserved. AE6450 Rocket Propulsion

Specific Impulse Limits

• Chemical rockets
– liquid bipropellants typically higher Isp than solids
– typically 200-400 seconds at sea level operation
• increases by ~17% for vacuum exhaust
(40:1 nozzle expansion area ratio)
 Isp,max  480 seconds
 ueq,max  4700 m/s (15,400 ft/s)
– limited by chemical energy stored in bonds
• Electric propulsion (rockets)
– can have Isp > 1000-3000 seconds
 ueq,max  10,000-30,000 m/s (33,000-98,000 ft/s)
– limited by technology used to accelerate mass

Seitzman Thrust and Impulse-8

Copyright © 2003, 2006, 2017, 2018 by Jerry M. Seitzman. All rights reserved. AE6450 Rocket Propulsion