PROPELLANT COMBUSTION CHARTS.docVIP

PROPELLANT COMBUSTION CHARTS Liquid Oxygen Liquid Hydrogen Liquid Oxygen Liquid Methane Liquid Oxygen Ethyl Alcohol Liquid Oxygen Kerosene Liquid Oxygen UDMH Red-Fuming Nitric Acid Kerosene Red-Fuming Nitric Acid MMH Red-Fuming Nitric Acid UDMH Nitrogen Tetroxide MMH Nitrogen Tetroxide UDMH Nitrogen Tetroxide Aerozine 50 Hydrogen Peroxide Kerosene How To Use These Charts For each of the propellant combinations shown above, four graphs have been provided. These graphs can be used to estimate (1) the optimum mixture ratio of the combustion reactants, (2) the adiabatic flame temperature of the combustion reaction, (3) the average molecular weight of the combustion products, and (4) the specific heat ratio of the combustion products. This data is necessary to determine the velocity of the exhaust gases expelled from a rocket engine, which in turn determines the engines thrust. Adiabatic flame temperature and gas molecular weight have been calculated using the freeware program STANJAN. Optimum Mixture Ratio Mixture Ratio is the ratio of oxidizer mass to fuel mass. We define the optimum mixture ratio as that which will produce the highest specific impulse for the given reactants. A propellants optimum mixture ratio is a function of the pressures at which the rocket engine will operate. An engine with a high combustion chamber pressure and a low nozzle exit pressure, i.e. a large section ratio, will have the highest optimum mixture ratio. Below we see a graph of optimum mixture ratio versus combustion chamber pressure for liquid oxygen and kerosene at two different nozzle exit pressures (Pe). To use this graph, select the desired chamber pressure across the bottom axis of the graph and draw a vertical line. When the vertical line intersects the curve for the desired exit pressure, draw a horizontal line to the left and read the corresponding mixture ratio off the vertical axis of the graph. If an exit pressure other than those shown is desir