Rocket Propulsion Basics

Vehicle Acceleration/Rocket Equation

Thrust Coeff. & Characteristic Vel.

Seitzman Thrust and Impulse-9

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

Thrust and Vehicle Acceleration

u
• Now look at moving (accelerating) rocket p
  
Fsolid body cross    shear dA   pnˆdA   fdV D
CV on fluid CS CS CV
  
u dV   u u rel  nˆ dA
d
 
dt CV CS

• Along x direction (rocket axis) x

Fx , solid cross  ?0 no solid body
crossing CV Ae
CV on fluid p
Drag ue e
drawn for ue and rocket

CS
 x , shear dA  ? Dviscous  Dwave   D velocity (u) aligned
Includes effects of ppa
– other terms? on solid surfaces
Seitzman Thrust and Impulse-10
Copyright © 2003, 2006, 2017, 2018 by Jerry M. Seitzman. All rights reserved. AE6450 Rocket Propulsion

1
 Thrust and Vehicle Acceleration
u
• Accelerating rocket p

  pnˆdA  ? D

m Center of
CS

Body force mass

 f dV  ? x
g
CV
 x
Unsteady term
Ae
d  p

dt CV
u x dV  ? ue e
drawn for ue and rocket
velocity (u) aligned

Seitzman Thrust and Impulse-11

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

Thrust and Vehicle Acceleration

u
• Accelerating rocket p
Flux term
D
 
 u x urel  nˆ dA  ?
CS
m Center
mass
of

g
 x
Ae
p
ue e
• Now combine all terms drawn for ue and rocket
velocity (u) aligned

Seitzman Thrust and Impulse-12

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

2
 Thrust and Vehicle Acceleration
u
• Accelerating rocket p
0  D   pe  pa Ae  m g cos  D
 m u  ue 
du
  m u  m m Center of
dt mass
m du  m ue   pe  pa Ae  D  m g cos 
dt g
 x
m du  m ueq  D  mg cos  Ae
dt p
ue e
• 1st term same as static “thrust” drawn for ue and rocket
velocity (u) aligned
• Other terms ??
– thrust accel. “losses” (overcome drag, gravity, …)
Seitzman Thrust and Impulse-13
Copyright © 2003, 2006, 2017, 2018 by Jerry M. Seitzman. All rights reserved. AE6450 Rocket Propulsion

Velocity Increment
• In orbital mechanics, important parameter for
changing orbit in gravity field is the velocity
increment
– u=ufinal – uinitial (net incr. in vehicle speed)
– e.g., launch to LEO requires ~9 km/s
 m ueq D 
• u   du   
 m
  g cos  dt
m 
accel m   dm dt
 dm
  dt    g cos  dt
period D
  ueq
const. ueq m m
minitial  D dt  g cos  dt
m final  m 
u  ueq ln

Seitzman Thrust and Impulse-14

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

3
 Velocity Increment
m 
u  ueq ln initial   D dt   g cos  dt
 m  Rocket
m Equation
 final 
 R, Mass Ratio
• 1st term  uthrust, u without losses
– how to increase?
–

• 2nd  udrag, u needed to overcome drag

– D = CD ½ u2 Aref……how to decrease?
–

• 3rd  ugravity, u needed to lift mass in gravity field

– how to decrease?
–

Seitzman Thrust and Impulse-15

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

Thrust Coeff and Characteristic Velocity

• So important performance parameters:  & u
– depend on ueq or Isp, and m
• For thermal rockets, typically parameterize
these using

– Thrust coefficient c 
measure of ability of nozzle to Operating po At Nozzle
convert thermal energy to KE (stagnation) pressure throat area
p A
– Characteristic velocity c*  o t
vel. units m
measure of thermal energy

available; propellant property c c*   ueq  I sp g e
for chemical rockets m
• Why At?
Seitzman Thrust and Impulse-16
Copyright © 2003, 2006, 2017, 2018 by Jerry M. Seitzman. All rights reserved. AE6450 Rocket Propulsion