Multi-physics design of a truncated aerospike nozzle for an ammonium perchlorate solid fuelled hobby rocket
conference contribution
posted on 2020-07-14, 10:45 authored by David Heath, Colin BellThe performance of a rocket is highly dependent on the
propulsive efficiency of its engine. Through the use of conventional
bell and conical nozzles it is only possible to achieve high efficiency
at a single external pressure design point whereas the aerospike
concept is able to achieve high efficiency throughout the rockets
flight regime. The external pressure of the nozzle of a hobby rocket
is variable and primarily dependant on the velocity of the rocket
due to aerodynamic bluff body effects. In this research a truncated
aerospike nozzle was designed using the Angelino approximation
method at the point of minimum external pressure, measured at 75
kPa. It was calculated that the increase in nozzle expansion
performance would provide an increase in thrust of 0.325% when
compared to the conventional Cesaroni conical nozzle operating in
the same aft flow conditions. These promising results indicate that
further work should be carried out on the design and integration of
the nozzle into the body of the rocket, including nozzle cooling and
ablation rates as well as nozzle mass reduction.
History
Citation
Proceedings of the 3rd Symposium on Space Educational Activities, 2019, pp. 219-220Source
3rd Symposium on Space Educational Activities, September 16-18, 2019, Leicester, United KingdomVersion
- VoR (Version of Record)
