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Worked Example #5 Calculate The Ideal Thrust and Thrust Coefficient For A Rocket Motor Operating at 68

This document calculates the ideal thrust and thrust coefficient for a rocket motor. It provides the chamber pressure, nozzle diameters, exit pressure, and propellant type. It then shows the step-by-step calculations to determine the thrust in Newtons (866 N) and the thrust coefficient (1.61) using equations that account for parameters like pressure ratios, nozzle areas, and propellant properties. The calculations are shown separately for momentum and pressure thrust terms and confirm the units are correct.

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Sadewo Yakti
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© © All Rights Reserved
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84 views

Worked Example #5 Calculate The Ideal Thrust and Thrust Coefficient For A Rocket Motor Operating at 68

This document calculates the ideal thrust and thrust coefficient for a rocket motor. It provides the chamber pressure, nozzle diameters, exit pressure, and propellant type. It then shows the step-by-step calculations to determine the thrust in Newtons (866 N) and the thrust coefficient (1.61) using equations that account for parameters like pressure ratios, nozzle areas, and propellant properties. The calculations are shown separately for momentum and pressure thrust terms and confirm the units are correct.

Uploaded by

Sadewo Yakti
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Worked Example #5

Calculate the ideal Thrust and Thrust Coefficient for a rocket motor operating at 68
atmospheres chamber pressure and exhausts to ambient. The nozzle has a throat diameter of
10mm and has an exit diameter of 20mm. The nozzle exit pressure is 4 atmospheres. The
propellant is KNSB.
Po = Stagnation pressure (chamber pressure), 68 atmospheres
Pa = Ambient pressure, 1 atmosphere
From Technical Notepad #3 (http://www.nakka-rocketry.net/techs2.html), KNSB has the
following properties:
k = 1.04 2-phase flow
The equation for ideal thrust is

As this is a rather cumbersome equation, the suggested first step is to simplify the calculation by
calculating the terms involving “k”
𝑘2 (1.04)2
= = 27.04
𝑘 − 1 1.04 − 1

2 2
= = 0.9804
𝑘 + 1 1.04 + 1

𝑘 + 1 1.04 + 1
= = 51.0
𝑘 − 1 1.04 − 1

𝑘 − 1 1.04 − 1
= = 0.0385
𝑘 1.04

The pressure ratio is likewise calculated


𝑃𝑒 4
= = 0.0588
𝑃𝑜 68

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The throat cross-sectional area, A*, is
𝜋
𝐴∗ = (10.0)2 = 78.5𝑚𝑚2
4

The nozzle exit cross-sectional area, Ae, is


𝜋
𝐴∗ = (20.0)2 = 314𝑚𝑚2
4
Since we wish to express the thrust in terms of Newtons (or pounds-force), we must use
consistent units. To obtain thrust in Newtons, we use m-k-s (metre-kilogram-second) units for all
parameters:
A* = 78.5 /10002 = 78.5x10-6 m2
Ae = 314 /10002 = 314x10-6 m2

Likewise, pressure is converted to N/m2


𝑁⁄
𝑃𝑜 = 68 𝑎𝑡𝑚 × 101325 𝑚2 = 6.89 × 106 𝑁
𝑎𝑡𝑚 𝑚2
𝑁⁄
𝑃𝑒 = 4 𝑎𝑡𝑚 × 101325 𝑚2 = 0.405 × 106 𝑁
𝑎𝑡𝑚 𝑚2
Pa = 101325 N/m2

The ideal thrust may now be calculated. Out of interest, we will first calculate the momentum
thrust (F`) and the pressure thrust (F``) terms separately:

𝐹 ′ = 78.5 × 10−6 (6.89 × 106 )√2(27.04)(0.9804)51 (1 − (0.0588)0.0385 ) = 771 𝑁.


𝐹" = (0.405 × 106 − 101325) 314 × 10−6 = 95.4 N.
(to convert to “pounds force”, we divide Newtons by 4.448, giving F’ = 173 lbf and F” = 21.4
lbf)
Providing a total ideal thrust of 866 N. (195 lbf).
It is important to always check units for consistency:
𝑁 𝑁 𝑁
𝐹 = 𝑚2 𝑚2 √𝑑𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠 + (𝑚2 − 𝑚2 ) 𝑚2

Therefore

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𝑁 𝑁 𝑁
𝐹 = 𝑚2 2
√𝑑𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠 + ( 2 − 2 ) 𝑚2
𝑚 𝑚 𝑚

Units are confirmed to be correct (N.)

The equation for Thrust Coefficient is:

Note that the term inside the square root sign is identical to that of the thrust equation.
Out of interest, we will first calculate the momentum Thrust Coefficient and the pressure Thrust
Coefficient terms separately.

𝐶𝑓 ′ = √2(27.04)(0.9804)51 (1 − (0.0588)0.0385 ) = 1.43


(0.405×106 −101325) 314×10−6
𝐶𝑓 " = = 0.18
6.89𝑥106 (78.5𝑥10−6 )

Giving a ideal total Thrust Coefficient of:


Cf = 1.61
A check of the units will confirm that Cf is dimensionless as expected.

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