NTRODUCTION TO ROCKET PROPULSION
J. Michael Lyon
P-pulsion Directorate
Research, Development, and Engineering Center
DTI
MECTE
December 1991 S E
Medertcpe Aree nal, Alabama 35898-5000
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Introducti-i to Rocket Propulsion
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J. Michael Lyon
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Summary FROM TO. Dec 1991 234
16. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTATION
17. COSArI CODES 18. SUBJECT TERMS (Continue on reverse if necessary and identify by block number)
FIELD  | GROUP  | SUB-GROUP  | Rockets, Propellant
Performance, Design19. ABSTRACT (Continue on revere ifnecessary and identify by block number)
The design process for solid propellant rocket motors is presented
in an introductory text suitable for professional reference as well as
for instruction at the high school senior through college junior level.
Beginning with a brief history of rocketry and a short discussion of the
basic properties of matter, the text progresses through the development
of the governing laws of rocket propulsion and utilization of important
propulsion theories and equations. Design considerations for various
motor components (propellants, grain, and inert hardware) are presented.
Performance prediction using computers and instrumentation and testing
are discussed. Numerous examples and problems are provided.
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J. Michael Lyon  | 22b TELEPHONE (Include Area Code) 22c OFFICE SYMBOL
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
INTRODUCTION TO ROCKET PROPULSION ............................ vi
CHAPTERI .... A THOUSAND YEARS OF ROCKETRY ................... 1
CHAPTER II .... PROPULSION DEVICES ............................... 12
2.1 Duct Jet Propulsion Devices ..................................... 14
2.2 Rocket Propulsion Devices ...................................... 15
CHAPTER III .... PROPERTIES OF MATTER ............................ 24
3.1 Pressure ...................................................... 25
3.2 Density ....................................................... 32
3.3 Temperature .................................................. 32
3.4 Heat ......................................................... 35
3.5 Viscosity ..................................................... 39
3.6 Momentum ................................................... -39
3.7 Ideal Gas .................................................... 40
CHAPTER IV .... THE GOVERNING LAWS OF ROCKET PROPULSION .... 46
4.1 Newton's First Law of Motion ................................... 46
4.2 Newton's Second Law of Motion ................................. 48
4.3 Newton's Third Law of Motion ................................. 49
4.4 Conservation of Mass (Continuity Equation) ....................... 56
4.5 Bernoulli's Equation ........................................... 59
4.6 Conservation of Momentum ..................................... 63
4.7 First Law of Thermodynamics (Law of Conservation of Energy) ...... 65
4.8 The Second Law of Thermodynamics ............................. 70
4.9 Bernoulli Revisited .......................... .................. 75
iii
Pa
CHAPTER V .... PROPULSION EQUATIONS ............................ 77
5.1 Ideal Rocket .................................................. 77
5.2 Thrust Equation ............................................... 89
5.3 Total Impulse ................................................. 95
5.4 Specific Impulse ............................................... 96
5.5 Burning Rate and Motor Pressure ................................ 97
5.6 Equilibrium Pressure ........................................... 99
5.7 Ideal Burnout Velocity .......................................... 102
5.8 Temperature Sensitivity ......................................... 103
5.9 Nozzle Divergence Loss ......................................... 105
5.10 Optimum Thrust .............................................. 106
5.11 The Effect of Ambient Pressure on Nozzle Flow ..................... 107
CHAPTER VI .... DESIGN TOPICS ..................................... 108
6.1 M ass Addition ................................................. 108
6.2 Erosive Burning ............................................... 113
6.3 Transient Operation ............................................ 115
6.4 Nozzle Area Variation .......................................... 117
6.5 Miscellanec-is Losses .......................................... 117
CHAPTER VII .... PROPELLANTS ..................................... 119
7.1. Basic Chem icals ................................................ 123
7.2 Homogeneous Propellants ....................................... 126
7.3 Nonhomogeneous (Composite) Propellants ......................... 131
7.4 Burning Rate Determination .................................... 138
iv
CHAPTER VIII .... GRAIN DESIGN ..................................... 143
8.1 Cylindrical Grains ............................................. 144
8.2 Internal BurningTube .......................................... 144
8.3 Neutral Grains ................................................ 145
8.4 Noncircular Perforations ........................................ 146
8.5 Dual Thrust Grains ............................................ 149
CHAPTERIX .... HARDWARE COMPONENT DESIGN ................... 151
9.1 Chamber and Nozzle Design ..................................... 151
9.2 Liners, Insulators, and Restrictors ................................ 158
9.3 Igniters ...................................................... 159
CHAPTER X .... PREDICTION ......................................... 161
10.1 First-Order Preliminary Design (FOPD) .......................... 162
10.2 Motor Ballistics (MBAL) ........................................ 163
CHAPTER XI .... TESTING ............................................ 177
11.1 Nondestructive Tests ........................................... 178
11.2 Destructive Tests .......................... .................... 181
11.3 Instrumentation ............................................... 187
11.4 Data Analysis ................................................. 190
BIBLIOGRAPHY ...................................................... 199
APPENDIX A .......................................................... A-1
APPENDIX B
PROBLEM SET ........................................................ B-1