Propellant feed system

• High pressure

1.Gas pressure feed system

2.Turbo pump feed system

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 Gas
pressure
feed system
• Inert gas at high pressure
• Gas is chosen based on chemical
properties, density, pressure and weight
• Nitrogen, helium and air
• No moving parts
• Pressurization of tank
• Weight penalty
• Pressure can be generated within
propellants using gas
• Exothermic reaction with propellant

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 Turbo pump
feed system
• Single turbine and dual
• Reduction gear
• Gas generator
• 1.5 to 5% of propellants
• Solid propellant can also be
used
• Positive displacement and
centrifugal pump can be used

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• Liquid oxygen- LOX
– Cryogenic propellant ( 90K) Oxidizers
– Used with a large no. of rocket fuels
• Hydrogen peroxide
– With catalyst decomposing into steam and
oxygen
– Monopropellant
• Nitrogen tetroxide
– (294.4K)
• Nitric acid
– RFNA, WFNA

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• Liquid hydrogen
– Cryogenic propellant (20K)
– Well insulated storage tanks
Fuels
• Ethyl alcohol or ethanol
• Hydrazine
– Higher freezing point (274.7K)
• UDMH
– Derivative of hydrazine
– Freezing point-216K

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 SOLID-PROPELLANT ROCKET

• The propellant grain is firmly cemented to the inside of the metal or plastic case
• This hole, called the perforation, may be shaped in various ways, as star, gear, or
other more unusual outlines
• The perforation shape and dimension affects the burning rate or number of
pounds of gas generated per second and, thereby, the thrust of the engine.
• After being ignited by a pyrotechnic device, which is usually triggered by an
electrical impulse
• The propellant grain burns on the entire inside surface of the perforation.
• The hot combustion gases pass down the grain and are ejected through the
nozzle to produce thrust.

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 Classes of chemical rocket propulsion devices
B. Solid propellant rocket engine:

• The propellant to be burned is contained

within the combustion chamber or case.

• The solid propellant charges are called the

grain and it contains all the chemical
elements for complete burning.

• Once ignited, it usually burns smoothly at

predetermined rate on all the exposed
internal surfaces of grain.

• The resulting hot gases flows through

supersonic nozzle, thereby imparting
thrust to the vehicle.

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 Propellant Grain
Two main categories

– Double Base: A homogeneous propellant grain, usually

nitrocellulose dissolved in nitroglycerin. Both ingredients
are explosive and act as a combined fuel, oxidizer and
binder

– Composite: A heterogeneous propellant grain with oxidizer

crystals and powdered fuel held together in a matrix of
synthetic rubber binder.

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 Conventional Composite
Propellant
• Fuel
5-22% Powdered Aluminum

• Oxidizer
65-70% Ammonium Perchlorate (NH4ClO4 or AP)

• Binder:
8-14% Hydroxyl- Terminated Polybutadiene
(HTPB)

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 Metallic Fuels
• Aluminum (Al)
– Molecular Weight: 26.98 kg/kmol
– Density: 2700 kg/m3
– Most commonly used

• Magnesium (Mg)
– Molecular Weight: 24.32 kg/kmol
– Density: 1750 kg/m3
– Clean burning (green)

• Beryllium (Be)
– Molecular Weight: 9.01 kg/kmol
– Density: 2300 kg/m3
– Most energetic, but extremely toxic
exhaust products
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• Ammonium Perchlorate (AP)
Oxidizers
– Most commonly used
– Cl combining with H can form HCl
• Toxic
• Depletion of ozone

• Ammonium Nitrate (AN)

– Next most commonly used
– Less expensive than AP
– Less energetic
– No hazardous exhaust products

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