Module Title: Classification of Rocket Name: Hanna F.

Porras
Propulsion
Date: May 15, 2021 Page No.: 1 of 6
Instructor: Engr. Carl Lawrence C. Famero, MEAM
Grade: Paper Assignment

I. Introduction

In this paper, the Current State of Annular Nozzle Designs and their Future Potential of being

a more Commonly Utilized Nozzle Configuration will be discussed. Primarily, nozzles come in a

variety of shapes and sizes depending on the mission of the aircraft. A nozzle is a generally basic

device, just an extraordinarily shaped tube through which hot gasses flow. Yet, the arithmetic

which depicts the operation of the nozzle takes a few cautious thoughts.

In the case of utilizing a gas turbine engine that has a fixed geometry convergent nozzle, a

great example of which are turbojets, and turboprops since turbofan engines often employ a co-

annular nozzle; whereas the core flow exits the center nozzle while the fan flow exits the annular

nozzle. The blending of the two flows gives a few thrust upgrades and these nozzles moreover

tend to be calmer and do not produce much noise compared to focalized nozzles. Meanwhile,

afterburning turbojets and turbofans require a variable geometry convergent-divergent - CD nozzle.

Furthermore, the nozzle conducts the hot exhaust back to the free stream; wherein there can

be serious interactions between the engine exhaust flow and the airflow around the aircraft.

However, in fighter aircraft, in particular, there can be a presence of large drag penalties near the

nozzle exits. A typical nozzle-afterbody configuration is shown in the upper right for an F-15 with

experimental maneuvering nozzles. As with the inlet design, the external nozzle arrangement is

regularly planned by the airframer and subjected to wind tunnel testing to decide the performance

effects on the airframe. The inner nozzle is as a rule the responsibility of the engine manufacturer

[2].

On the other hand, aerospike nozzles are considered an ancient idea in rocketry that has

never very found its mission. Whereas hypothetically holding justify over current state-of-the-art

rocket nozzles, lack of flight test information, and a need for way better materials has held back

utilization of aerospike nozzles. Additionally, there has been a presence of rocket propulsion which
Module Title: Classification of Rocket Name: Hanna F. Porras
Propulsion
Date: May 15, 2021 Page No.: 2 of 6
Instructor: Engr. Carl Lawrence C. Famero, MEAM
Grade: Paper Assignment

is small enough to propel a CubeSat, which is required to weigh less than 3 lbs., is a growing area

of research interest. Yet, the potential gains of an aerospike nozzle would apply well to this

scenario if a feasible design can be constructed.

Exploratory testing conducted for this study is planning to be a starting point for aerospikes

within the CubeSat propulsion application and provide a few of the primary exploratory information

at this scale. Thus, the following segments of the presentation layout investigate inspiration [1].

Chemical drive frameworks are a basic component of numerous space vehicles, and their

development was one of the greatest accomplishments of humankind’s extraordinary mechanical

surge within the 20th century.

In addition to their superior over-expanded performance, aerospike nozzles also provide

several other advantages. Since pressure steeply drops off in a second-order decay as the fluid

expands down the spike contour, the majority of pressure thrust is being produced in the

upstream half of the nozzle. An aerospike can therefore be shortened to resemble a truncated

cone without losing significant performance. Truncating can significantly reduce weight and allows

a higher performance nozzle for a similar length when compared to a bell. The performance loss

from the recirculation region that forms behind the nozzle truncation can also be mitigated by the

ejection of a central gas flow to build back pressure [1].

II. Summary of the articles

Predominantly, due to the aerospike’s particular novelty, and the general expense and risk of

experimentally testing chemical rockets; there is a lack of widespread flight test data for aerospike

nozzles. Amid the aerospike’s beginning theorization and conceptual improvement within the early

1960s, their altitude compensating capabilities were investigated for utilizing on major launch

vehicles. Rocketdyne proposed an aerospike plan for the space carry, which was eventually racked

for the more customary RS-25.

Module Title: Classification of Rocket Name: Hanna F. Porras
Propulsion
Date: May 15, 2021 Page No.: 3 of 6
Instructor: Engr. Carl Lawrence C. Famero, MEAM
Grade: Paper Assignment

The RS-25, still one of the best rocket engines ever built, was a huge success, and aerospike

research stagnated. Interest was renewed in the 1990’s with NASA’s X-33 program. A “space-

plane” designed to attempt a single stage to orbit, the X-33 had a particular need for altitude

compensation [1]. The annular throat of an aerospike nozzle is particularly difficult to construct by

conventional methods, as the surrounding “cowl” and central spike are offset at the throat.

Additive manufacturing of metallic components did not exist during the X-33 era, and potentially

makes fabrication of aerospike nozzles more feasible. 3D printing metal through laser sintering and

electron beam melting greatly expands the potential to create internal cooling channels to address

the aerospike’s greatest deficiency. Internal cooling channels could never be made by a

conventional machinist with the kind of curvature the aerospike demands, and this technology

could make the launch vehicle sized, altitude-compensating aerospike possible. High temperature

alloys such as Inconel and Niobium based alloys are capable of surviving the combustion chambers

of chemical rockets [1].

The variation of effective nozzle area is achieved by the manipulation of local atmospheric

conditions. In the expansion-deflection nozzle, this process is facilitated through the use of a

central flow deflector, commonly referred to as a pintle. The deflection of the supersonic exhaust

radially outwards towards the nozzle wall results in the creation of a wake region at the base of

the pintle. The interaction between the subsonic, recirculating wake, and supersonic exhaust

produces a shear layer which acts to vary the effective area ratio of the nozzle and limit expansion

of the exhaust flow. The location of the shear layer and effective area ratio are determined by the

pressure of the wake area. In altitude compensating or “open wake” mode, the pressure of the

wake region is theoretically equal to the local atmospheric pressure.

Module Title: Classification of Rocket Name: Hanna F. Porras
Propulsion
Date: May 15, 2021 Page No.: 4 of 6
Instructor: Engr. Carl Lawrence C. Famero, MEAM
Grade: Paper Assignment

The effect of mesh refinement on predicted shock structures was significant. Shock resolution

in the coarse mesh was greatly increased throughout the refinement process. This process was

seen to fully develop the cap shock pattern in both the coarse and standard mesh levels. The

refined coarse mesh was used for all future simulations due to the greatly reduced computational

time, small numerical uncertainty predicted in the shock structure, and negligible difference in the

pressure distribution [3]. Distinct from both solid rockets and liquid rockets, but carrying attributes

of both, hybrid rockets carry solid fuel but store oxidizer as a fluid. Volumetrically, a hybrid system

is often inefficient as both a tank, a primary source of weight in liquid systems, and a solid fuel

grain, a primary source of weight in solid rockets, have to be included. However, this separation

makes hybrid rockets intrinsically safe, as both propellants are inert. Combustion only occurs when

the fuel is converted to gaseous state, a high energy process that has historically made hybrid

rockets difficult to ignite.

Numerous safety features, such as check valves to prevent backflow, make stopping

combustion a fairly straightforward process of cutting off the oxidizer. This gives hybrids an

operational advantage over solid rockets in their inherent ability to be throttled, stopped, and

restarted. Solid rockets offer extremely high volumetric efficiency and will always have their

application in certain scenarios, so hybrids are mainly attempting to compete in more complex

applications that require multiple motor pulses [1].

Most modern passenger and military aircraft are powered by gas turbine engines, which are

also called jet engines. There are several different types of gas turbine engines, but all turbine

engines have some parts in common. All gas turbine engines have a nozzle to produce thrust, to

conduct the exhaust gases back to the free stream, and to set the mass flow rate through the

engine. The nozzle sits downstream of the power turbine [2].

Module Title: Classification of Rocket Name: Hanna F. Porras
Propulsion
Date: May 15, 2021 Page No.: 5 of 6
Instructor: Engr. Carl Lawrence C. Famero, MEAM
Grade: Paper Assignment

III. Opinion or reaction to the articles

My opinion based on the articles that the Annular nozzle are more costly than any other type of

nozzle due to its complexity and are more difficult to manufacture. Through the years some

researchers developed different types of nozzles for a rocket propelled aircraft wherein the Annular

nozzle is included. The performance of the annular nozzle is increased since although the nozzle is

reduced or shortened. In addition, the different series of combustion chamber design approach can

be utilized in this nozzle because of the easing development effort and improving the combustion

stability.

IV. References:

1) Armstrong, I. W. (2019). Development and T elopment and Testing of Additiv esting of

Additively Manufactur ely Manufactured Aerospike. Retrieved from

https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=8545&context=etd

2) Hall, N. (2021, May 07 ). National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved from

grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/nozzle.html

3) Kyll Schomberg, J. O. (2015, March 10 ). Analysis of a Low-Angle Annular Expander

Nozzle. Retrieved from https://.hindawi.com/journals/sv/2015/675861.pdf

Module Title: Classification of Rocket Name: Hanna F. Porras
Propulsion
Date: May 15, 2021 Page No.: 6 of 6
Instructor: Engr. Carl Lawrence C. Famero, MEAM
Grade: Paper Assignment

Honesty Clause

Here is a copy of the Honesty Clause which you will attach to every submission you will carry

out in this learning module. “As members of the Academic Community, students are expected

to recognize and uphold standards of intellectual and academic integrity. Philippine State

College of Aeronautics assumes, as a basic and minimum standard of conduct in academic

matters, that students should be honest and that they submit for credit only the products of

their own efforts.”

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Hanna F. Porras