Beni Suef University

Faculty of Navigation Sciences & Space

Technology

Fundamentals Rocket Engine Design

Lecture 4
Aerothermochemistry of Rocket Engines

Dr. Eng. Mohamed Koraiem

Beni Suef, 2023
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Most Liquid Hydrocarbon
Each kmol of O2 in Air is
Fuels are Obtained From
Accompanied by 3.76 kmol of N2
Crude Oil Distillation

(fig. 14-1)

Gasoline
Kerosene

CRUDE Diesel fuel

OIL Fuel oil

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 Steady-Flow Combustion Process
In a steady-flow combustion process, the components that enter the reaction chamber are called
reactants and the components that exit are called products

Combustion
chamber
AF =17

The combustion process is complete if all the combustible components in the fuel are burned
to completion
Theoretical Combustion
The complete combustion
process with no free oxygen in
the products is called
theoretical combustion

The ratio of the mass of air to the mass of fuel

during a combustion process is called the air-fuel
ratio AF: where mair = (NM )air and mfuel =
(NiMi)fuel.

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 Chemical Bonds in the Combustion Process
When the existing chemical bonds are destroyed and
new ones are formed during a combustion process,
usually a large amount of sensible energy is released
Enthalpy of a Chemical Compound

The enthalpy of a chemical compound at at specified state

is the sum of the enthalpy of the compound at 25°C, 1 atm
(hf°), and the sensible enthalpy of the compound relative to
25°C, 1 atm.

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 Maximum Temperature of a Combustion
Chamber (Fig. 14-25)

The temperature of a combustion chamber will be

maximum when combustion is complete, and no heat is
lost to the surroundings (Q=0)

Theoretical Adiabatic Flame Temperature

The maximum temperature encountered in a
combustion chamber is lower than the theoretical
adiabatic flame temperature

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 Example
Liquid propane (C3H8) enters a combustion chamber at 25°C at a rate of 0.05 kg/min where it
is mixed and burned with 50 percent excess air that enters the combustion chamber at 7°C, as
shown in Figure. An analysis of the combustion gases reveals that all the hydrogen in the fuel
burns to H2O but only 90 percent of the carbon burns to CO2, with the remaining 10 percent
forming CO. If the exit temperature of the combustion gases is 1500 K, determine (a) the mass
flow rate of air and (b) the rate of heat transfer from the combustion chamber.
Assumptions
1 Steady operating conditions exist.
2 Air and the combustion gases are ideal gases.
3 Kinetic and potential energies are negligible.

Liquid propane is burned steadily with excess air. The mass flow rate of air and the rate of
heat transfer are to be determined.
We note that all the hydrogen in the fuel burns to H2O but 10 percent of the carbon burns
incompletely and forms CO. Also, the fuel is burned with excess air and thus there is some free
O2 in the product gases. The theoretical amount of air is determined from the stoichiometric
reaction to be
Then the balanced equation for the actual combustion process with 50 percent excess air and
some CO in the products becomes

(a) The air–fuel ratio for this combustion process is

(b) The heat transfer for this steady-flow combustion process is determined from the steady-
flow energy balance Eout = Ein applied on the combustion chamber per unit mole of the
fuel

The hfo of liquid propane is obtained by subtracting the hfg of propane at 25°C
from the hf ° of gas propane. Substituting gives
Thus 363,880 kJ of heat is transferred from the combustion chamber for each kmol (44 kg) of
propane. This corresponds to 363,880/44 8270 kJ of heat loss per kilogram of propane. Then
the rate of heat transfer for a mass flow rate of 0.05 kg/min for the propane becomes
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 Convergent–divergent Nozzle
Relating area with velocity using the momentum
equation

The mass flow rate through the CD nozzle

corresponding to condition C, i.e., sonic
flow attained at the throat, is given by:

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Example
A CD nozzle is to be designed for exit Mach number of 3.5. The combustion products with
γ = 1.25 are entering from combustion chamber at pressure 12 MPa and temperature 2500
K. If the exit diameter of nozzle is 1.45 mm, determine (1) throat and exit area ratio and (2)
maximum mass flow rate.

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Basics of CD Nozzle Flow
Exhaust Velocity
Generally, the flow in the CD nozzle is three-dimensional in nature and the
temperature, pressure, and composition of gas vary along the length of the nozzle.
Besides this, the flow becomes more complex due to the presence of shock and flow
separation in the nozzle. Hence, the shape of the nozzle plays a very important role
in dictating the flow and heat transfer from its wall, which affects the thrust produced
by the rocket engine. In order to analyze the flow in the nozzle, we may consider the
flow to be ideal with the following assumptions:
1. Steady one-dimensional isentropic flow.
2. The working fluid is homogeneous in nature. The amount of mass due to
condensed phase (solid/liquid) is negligible compared to gaseous fluid.
3. Ideal gas law with constant specifc heat can be applied
4. No heat transfer from the rocket engine.
5. Uniform flow properties, namely, pressure, temperature, and density, at the nozzle
entrance.
6. Velocity at the nozzle entrance is negligible compared to its value at the exit.
7. Gas compositions across the nozzle remain constant.
8. Gas leaves the nozzle exit along the axial direction only.
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By applying the energy equation

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The nozzle exit velocity gets enhanced by
increasing the combustion chamber
temperature. Hence, it is desirable to choose a
propellant that has a higher value of adiabatic
flame temperature.

However, the designer faces two limitations.

▪ Choose a proper material with higher thermal stress at high pressure for a
sustained period.
▪ Cooling of the nozzles and combustion chamber is to be considered for a
longer period, which makes the rocket engine bulky and complex.

However, if the duration of the flight is small, one can avoid using a complex
cooling system by employing a certain higher temperature coating of heated parts
of a rocket engine.

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❖The maximum nozzle exit velocity can be attained only when the pressure ratio
(Pe/Pt2) is tending toward zero, corresponding to the vacuum condition (Pe = 0).

Pe/Pt2=0

Thus, the expression for the maximum nozzle

exit velocity Vemax can be obtained:

Velocity ratio Ve/Vemax

Exhaust gases with a smaller molecular weight MW produce

a larger exhaust velocity for the same pressure ratio.

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 It may be observed that the exhaust
velocity ratio increases initially at a
faster rate till it reaches a pressure
ratio of 25.

Pe/Pt2 ratios across the nozzl:

✓ Preferred for the medium-altitude
rocket 25–50.
✓ For deep-space applications preferred
higher values

❖ Of course, with an increase in chamber pressure, the dissociation of chemical species

decreases, leading to a higher combustion temperature.
❖ Despite this advantage, higher chamber pressure cannot be favored as this would
increase the dead weight, leading to lower performance.

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Mass Flow Rate and Characteristics of Velocity
The mass flow rate through the CD nozzle under steady-state condition is
dependent on the pressure, temperature of combustion chamber, and cross-
sectional area.

The nondimensional mass flux

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 For throttle relations
Assuming the flow to be isentropic, the
expression for the exit Mach

So we can obtain the exit velocity

We need to evaluate exit Te by using the following

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