Gas Dynamics and
Jet Propulsion
Lecture No: GDJP 31
Topic: Rocket Propulsion – Part 1
Recap
• Aircraft propulsion – performance of aircraft
propulsion
Topic of discussion:
• Rocket propulsion and its types
• Theory of rocket propulsion
• Performance of rocket propulsion
• Liquid propellent rockets
Learning Outcomes
• Classify rocket propulsion
• Calculate the efficiencies of rocket propulsion
• Explain liquid propellent rockets 2
Rocket Propulsion
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Classification of rocket
Based on source of energy employed
1. Chemical rockets
➢ Liquid propellant rocket
➢ Solid propellant rocket
➢ Hybrid propellant rocket
2. Solar rockets
3. Nuclear rockets
4. Electrical rockets
Based on propellants used, the rockets are
➢ Liquid propellant rocket
➢ Solid propellant rocket
➢ Hybrid propellant rocket
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Based on applications, the rockets are
➢ Space rockets
➢ Military rockets
➢ Weather or sounding rockets
➢ Booster rockets
➢ Retrorockets
Based on number of stages, the rockets are
o Single stage rocket
o Multistage rocket
Based on size and range, the rockets are
o Short range small rockets
o Long range small rockets
o Long range large rockets
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Theory of rocket propulsion
Thrust: The force that propels the rocket at a given
velocity.
F = Fmom + Fpr
F = mpCe + Ae(Pe – Pa)
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Effective Jet Velocity - a hypothetical velocity defined as
the velocity of jet when the gases through the nozzle
expand to ambient pressure. Considering the effective
jet velocity, the thrust equation may be written as
F = mpCe + Ae(Pe – Pa) = mpCj
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Specific Impulse
Thrust per unit weight flow of propellant.
F Thrust
I= =
Wp Weight of propellant
Specific Propellant Consumption – weight flow rate of
propellant required to produce unit thrust
Wp
SPC =
F
Wp
Weight flow coefficient, C w =
Po A*
Po= Stagnation pressure at the entry of the nozzle
A* = Nozzle throat area 8
𝐅
Thrust coefficient =
𝐏𝐨 𝑨∗
𝐈𝐭
Impulse to weight ratio: IWR =
𝐖𝐭
𝐂𝐣 Effective jet velocity
Characteristic Velocity V∗ = =
𝐂𝐅 Thrust coefficient
Propulsive efficiency
Thrust power 𝒎𝒑 𝑪𝒋 𝒖 𝟐𝝈
𝜼𝐩 = = =
Engine output power 𝟏 𝒎 𝑪𝟐 + 𝒖𝟐 𝟏 + 𝝈𝟐
𝟐 𝒑 𝒋
𝐮
where 𝝈 = rocket to jet speed ratio =
𝐂𝐣
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Thermal efficiency
Engine output power
𝜼th =
Power input through fuel
𝟏
𝒎𝒑 𝑪𝟐𝒋 + 𝒖𝟐 𝑪𝟐
+ 𝒖𝟐
𝜼th = 𝟐
𝒋
=
𝒎𝒑 𝑸𝑹 𝟐𝑸𝑹
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Overall efficiency
Propulsive power
𝜼𝒐 = = 𝜼𝒑 × 𝜼𝒕𝒉
Power input through fuel
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Liquid Propellant Rocket Engine
Types of Liquid Propellants: Storable propellants,
cryogenic propellants, monopropellants, and
bipropellants.
Storable propellants - can be stored in liquid state at
ambient temperature.
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Cryogenic propellants – are in gaseous state in normal
temperature and low temperature is required to maintain
them in liquid state. Liquid oxygen, liquid hydrogen, liquid
fluorine and liquid ammonia are commonly used
cryogenic propellants.
Monopropellant – some liquid propellants can be used
as monopropellants which contain both fuel and
oxidizer in single chemical. The monopropellants are
stable at normal temperature and decompose and burns
to release the heat energy on heating or ignition.
o Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2),
o Hydrazine (N2H4),
o Nitroglycerne (C3H5(ONO2)3)
o Nitro methane (CH3NO2) 13
Bipropellants – most of the propellants are bipropellants,
the fuel and oxidizer are separate chemicals.
o Diergols, which require the ignition for initiating the
combustion of fuel and oxidizer for energy release.
o Hypergols, do not require the ignition and they start
chemical reaction as soon as the two liquids come in
contact with other.
Desirable Properties of Liquid Propellants
1. The heat released during combustion per kg of the
propellant should be high
2. The propellant should have higher density. So that
they can be stored in smaller tanks
3. The propellants should have lower freezing point
4. The propellant should be non-corrosive 14
5. The propellant should be chemically stable
6. The properties of propellant should be constant
7. Propellants should have low value of vapour
pressure to avoid cavitation problem in the feed
pump system
8. Propellants should have low viscosity so that the
pumping power required will be less
9. Propellant must have higher specific heat and
higher thermal conductivity
10. Propellants should not be poisonous and
hazardous
11. Propellants should cheap and abundantly
available
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Liquid Propellant Feed System
1. Gas Pressure Feed System
2. Turbo-pump feed system
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Combustion of Liquid Propellant
The combustion process in liquid propellant rocket
engines takes places in three stages
o Injection which includes atomization, mixing
and vaporization
o Ignition and
o Combustion of propellants
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The complete and efficient combustion of liquid
propellant depends on
o The oxidizer fuel ratio
o Combustion temperature
o Time and space available in the combustion
chamber
o Effective injection of fuel and oxidizer with same
degree of fineness to facilitate the mixing and
vaporization of fuel and oxidizer
o The degree of turbulence created in the
combustion chamber
o The pressure drop between thrust chamber and
the fuel line
o Fuel injector orifice geometry and size
o Ignition at right time 20
Advantages of liquid propellant rockets
a. The specific impulse obtained is high
b. Liquid propellant rocket engines are suitable for long
range space and military applications
c. The engine can be easily controlled by regulating the
flow of propellant . Stopping the engine on
emergency is also easy
d. The thrust chamber and nozzle are cooled by
circulation of propellants so the structural strength
is more
e. The propellant are stored in separate tanks, so a
compact and aerodynamically and structurally
better combustion chamber design is possible
f. Liquid propellant rocket engines are cost effective as
they can be reused after recovery 21
Disadvantages of liquid propellant rocket engines
i. The design of liquid propellant rocket engine is
complicated
ii. Malfunctioning of propellant feed system, control
valve leads to failure
iii. The liquid propellants are cryogenic which require
special arrangement for storing and handling
iv. Large storage space is required comparing with
solid propellants which will raise the size and
weight of the engine
v. The storable liquid propellants are poisonous and
corrosive which require safe handling system
vi. Longer time is required to design, manufacture of
liquid propellant rockets
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Gas Dynamics and
Jet Propulsion
Lecture No: GDJP 32
Topic: Rocket Propulsion – Part 2
Recap
• Rocket propulsion and its types
• Theory of rocket propulsion
• Performance of rocket propulsion
• Liquid propellant rockets
Topic of discussion:
• Solid propellant rocket
• Hybrid propellant rocket
• Nuclear rocket
Learning Outcomes
• Explain the working of solid propellent rocket
• Describe hybrid propellent rocket
• Explain nuclear rocket 24
Solid Propellant Rockets
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Solid Propellants and its properties
Heterogeneous or composite propellants
Oxidizers :
o Ammonium Nitrate NH4NO3,
o Potassium Nitrate KNO3
o Ammonium percolate NH4CLO4,
o Potassium percolate KCLO4
Fuel – polymers, plastics and PVC
Homogeneous mixture of organic substances
Nitroglycerine and nitrocellulose are homogeneous
mixture of organic substances which combine the
properties of fuel and oxidizer.
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Desirable properties of solid propellants
i. The propellant materials should be abundantly
available at low cost and safe to handle
ii. Physical and chemical properties should not
change during processing
iii. It should be safe and easy to grind, mix and cast
into required shape to prepare propellant grain
iv. The propellant should be chemically inert before
ignition
v. The heat energy released during combustion
should be higher
vi. The propellant should have lower molecular
weight, higher density and higher mechanical
strength
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v. The gas jet produced should be smoke less and
colourless
vi. The propellant grain should not chemically react
with metal casing
vii. The propellant should not chemically react with
atmospheric air or moisture and it should not be
hydroscopic
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Burning of solid propellants
Based on the casting of propellant grain in the solid
propellant rocket engine, the combustion may be
o Regressive combustion,
o Neutral combustion or
o Progressive combustion.
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Restricted Combustion
In order to obtain the thrust at desired rate, the
restricted combustion of solid propellants is preferred.
o Cigarette burning or end burning
o Internal burning
o Neutral burning
Cigarette burning or end burning:
The combustion surface recedes leftward.
The combustion surface area remains constant and
a constant thrust profile is obtained.
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Internal burning
The combustion takes place in the cavity provided at
the centre of propellant grain along the axis.
Different internal cavity shapes can be used to obtain
the required thrust profile.
Neutral burning
The combustion occur in
the cylindrical surface of
the propellant grain.
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Unrestricted Combustion
In unrestricted combustion, all
surface of propellant grain are
exposed to combustion except
those with supports.
The unrestricted combustion
required large volume of empty
spaces along the propellant
grain to sustain combustion .
The quantity of propellants
packed is reduced for a given
volume of combustion chamber.
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Advantages of solid propellant rocket motors
1. The design and construction is simple comparing
with liquid propellant rockets
2. The feed system is not required
3. They are comparatively lighter for short range
and small size
4. Density of solid propellant is high, large quantity
can be packed in small space
5. Feed pump and liquid flow system are absent, so
vibration problem is eliminated
6. Much fewer and less frequent servicing problem
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Disadvantages of solid propellant rocket motors
1. Nozzle cooling is not possible
2. Specific impulse is lesser than liquid propellant
rocket
3. It is impossible to turn-off the operation in midway
on emergency
4. It is difficult to control combustion and thrust
produced
5. Solid propellant rocket motors cannot be reused
after recovery
6. Greater care is required in handling rocket before
firing
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7. Solid propellant rocket motors cannot be used for
long duration mission
8. The exhaust nozzle experiences erosion due to the
presence of solid particles in high temperature and
high speed exhaust gases
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Hybrid Propellant Rocket engine
Solid fuel and liquid oxidizer
36
Some fuel oxidizer combinations
Fuel Oxidizer
Beryllium hydride Fluorine
Lithium hydride Chlorine Tri Fluoride
Lithium hydride Nitrogen tetroxide
Hydrocarbon (CH2)n Nitrogen tetroxide
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Nuclear Rocket
Propellant used:
Hydrogen or Helium
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Solar Rocket
The solar rockets uses the heat energy radiated by the
sun to heat the propellant like hydrogen and to produce
high temperature gas which is expanded through the
nozzle to produce thrust.
Electrical Rocket Engine
Rockets in which thrust is produced using electric energy
is called as electrical rocket engine. The electrical
energy is obtained from nuclear reactor or photovoltic
cells.
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Distinction between jet and rocket engines
S. No Air breathing engine Rocket engine
Altitude limitation No altitude limitation, it can work
1 in vacuum
Thrust decreases with Thrust improves slightly with
2
altitude altitude
Rate of climb decreases Rate of climb increases with
3 with altitude altitude
Flight speed is less than Flight speed is not limited, can be
4 the jet velocity greater than jet velocity
Engine drag increases Engine has no ram drag, thrust is
5 with flight speed constant with speed
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