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Unit 4 Rocket Aerodynamics

Rocket aerodynamics is the study of air interactions with rockets during atmospheric flight, focusing on forces like lift, drag, and thrust that impact stability and control. Key aerodynamic loads include aerodynamic, dynamic pressure, vibration, acoustic, and thermal loads, with drag being a significant factor affecting performance and fuel efficiency. Different types of drag, such as skin friction, form, wave, and base drag, are influenced by factors like velocity, shape, and altitude, and accurate drag estimation is crucial for optimizing rocket design and performance.

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Monisha Shan
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26 views19 pages

Unit 4 Rocket Aerodynamics

Rocket aerodynamics is the study of air interactions with rockets during atmospheric flight, focusing on forces like lift, drag, and thrust that impact stability and control. Key aerodynamic loads include aerodynamic, dynamic pressure, vibration, acoustic, and thermal loads, with drag being a significant factor affecting performance and fuel efficiency. Different types of drag, such as skin friction, form, wave, and base drag, are influenced by factors like velocity, shape, and altitude, and accurate drag estimation is crucial for optimizing rocket design and performance.

Uploaded by

Monisha Shan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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ROCKET

AERODYNAMICS
Rocket aerodynamics

• Rocket aerodynamics refers to the study of how air interacts with a rocket as it
travels through the Earth's atmosphere. It involves understanding the forces
and moments generated by the rocket's motion relative to the surrounding air.

• These forces primarily include lift, drag, and thrust, as well as moments that
affect the rocket's stability and control.

• Aerodynamics becomes less important once the rocket reaches the vacuum of
space, but it is crucial during the initial phases of flight, from launch to the
edge of the atmosphere.
Loads Experienced by a Rocket Passing Through the Atmosphere
As a rocket ascends, it is subjected to various aerodynamic loads due to interaction with the atmosphere.
These loads affect the structural integrity, performance, and stability of the rocket. Some of the key loads
include:
Aerodynamic Load: Forces due to air resistance and pressure distribution over the rocket's surface.

Dynamic Pressure (q): Increases with the


square of velocity as the rocket moves faster
through the denser lower atmosphere.

Vibration Load: Caused by structural


vibrations due to aerodynamic forces or
engine vibrations.
Acoustic Load: Intense noise near the
launch pad and during ascent, caused by
the interaction of rocket exhaust with the
atmosphere.
Thermal Load: Heating due to atmospheric
friction at high speeds.
Drag
Drag is the aerodynamic force that opposes the motion of an object moving through a fluid, such as air or
water. For rockets, drag acts in the opposite direction of the rocket's velocity, slowing it down and requiring
more thrust to maintain or increase speed.
In general terms, drag is caused by the interaction between the surface of the moving object and the fluid,
which creates resistance. It depends on factors such as the shape and size of the object, its velocity, the
density of the fluid, and the surface roughness.

Drag Estimation

Drag estimation is the process of calculating the total


drag force acting on a rocket or any other object as it
moves through the air. Drag is the resistance that opposes
the motion of the rocket, and it significantly impacts the
rocket's performance, especially during the atmospheric
phase of flight. Drag estimation involves calculating
different components of drag, such as wave drag, skin
friction drag, form drag, and base drag.
Types of Drag:

•Skin Friction Drag: Caused by the friction between the fluid (air) and the
surface of the object. Smoother surfaces reduce this drag.

•Form Drag: Results from the shape of the object, specifically the pressure
difference between the front and rear surfaces.

•Wave Drag: Occurs at supersonic speeds due to shock waves formed around
the object.

•Base Drag: Created by the low-pressure area at the rear of the object (common
in rockets).
Factors Influencing Drag:
•Velocity: Drag increases with the square of velocity. Faster objects
experience significantly more drag.
•Shape: Streamlined shapes reduce drag by allowing smoother airflow.
•Surface Roughness: Rougher surfaces cause more friction and increase
drag.
•Altitude: Higher altitudes have lower air density, reducing drag on a
rocket.

Importance of Drag:
•Performance: Drag limits a rocket's speed and fuel efficiency. Reducing
drag is critical to maximize the rocket's performance.
•Design: Proper aerodynamic design reduces drag and improves stability
during flight.
Wave Drag
•Definition: Occurs when a rocket travels
at supersonic speeds (faster than the speed
of sound). At these speeds, shock waves
form around the rocket, leading to a
significant increase in drag.
•Key Factors: The shape of the rocket's nose
and body influences wave drag. More
streamlined or conical shapes help to
reduce wave drag by allowing smoother
airflow.
•Estimation: Can be estimated using shock
wave theories and empirical formulas that
depend on the rocket's Mach number
(speed relative to the speed of sound) and
geometry.
Form Drag (Pressure Drag)
•Definition: Arises due to the shape of the
rocket and the pressure difference between
the front and rear of the rocket. Blunt
shapes tend to increase form drag, as they
cause more air separation and create larger
low-pressure zones behind the rocket.
•Key Factors: The overall shape of the
rocket, particularly in areas where the
airflow separates from the surface (such as
at the nose or tail).
•Estimation: Based on the drag coefficient
(Cd) for different shapes. Slender,
streamlined shapes minimize form drag,
while blunt or sharp changes in cross-
section increase it.
Base Drag
•Definition: The drag caused by the low-
pressure region at the base of the rocket
where the airflow separates. It is
particularly prominent at subsonic and
transonic speeds.
•Key Factors: The cross-sectional area of
the rocket's base and the velocity of the
rocket relative to the speed of sound.
•Estimation: Empirical formulas are often
used to estimate base drag, especially for
rockets with sudden changes in geometry
at the base. Boat-tailing, or tapering the
base, helps reduce base drag.
Skin Friction Drag
•Definition: Results from the friction between
the rocket's surface and the surrounding air. As
the rocket moves, air flows along its surface,
creating shear forces due to the viscosity of the
air.
•Key Factors: Surface roughness, the Reynolds
number (which relates to the velocity, size, and
viscosity of the fluid), and whether the flow is
laminar (smooth) or turbulent (chaotic).
•Estimation: Calculated using formulas based
on boundary layer theory, which accounts for
the velocity gradient along the rocket's surface.
The drag coefficient for skin friction can be
obtained from empirical data or computational
simulations.
Drag Coefficient (Cd)

The drag coefficient (Cd) is a


dimensionless number that characterizes
the drag force relative to the size, speed,
and shape of the rocket. It is calculated
using the equation:

where:
•D = Total drag force
•Cd = Drag coefficient
•ρ = Air density
•V = Velocity of the rocket
•A = Cross-sectional area of the rocket
Factors Influencing Drag Estimation
Several factors influence the accuracy of drag estimation for rockets:

•Velocity: At low speeds, the drag is dominated by form drag and skin friction
drag, but as the rocket approaches and exceeds the speed of sound, wave drag
becomes more prominent.
•Altitude: The density of air decreases with altitude, reducing drag as the rocket
ascends. However, at lower altitudes where air is denser, drag can significantly
slow the rocket.
•Rocket Shape: A more aerodynamically streamlined shape reduces drag.
Designing the nose and body of the rocket to minimize shock waves, flow
separation, and turbulence helps in reducing total drag.
•Mach Number: At different Mach numbers, the relative contribution of each
drag component changes. For example, wave drag becomes critical in transonic
and supersonic flight.
Methods for Estimating Drag
Importance of Drag Estimation

• Empirical Models: Based on wind tunnel tests


or historical data from similar rockets. These •Performance Prediction: Accurate drag
models provide coefficients that can be used estimation helps in predicting how much thrust
in simplified drag equations. the rocket needs to overcome resistance,
• Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD): particularly during the initial stages of ascent.
Simulations that solve the fluid flow equations
(Navier-Stokes equations) around the rocket •Fuel Efficiency: Reducing drag improves fuel
to predict drag with high accuracy. CFD is
efficiency, as less energy is wasted in overcoming
often used for complex rocket shapes or flight
conditions. atmospheric resistance.
• Analytical Methods: Approximations based
on potential flow theory and boundary layer •Structural Design: Knowing the drag forces helps
theory. These methods provide reasonable ensure the rocket is structurally capable of
estimates but may lack precision in highly withstanding the loads imposed during ascent.
turbulent or supersonic flow regimes.
Empirical Models
Empirical models for drag estimation rely on experimental data, such as
wind tunnel testing or historical data from rockets with similar designs.
These models provide drag coefficients (Cd) based on known shapes,
Reynolds numbers, Mach numbers, and flow conditions. The drag
coefficient can then be used in simplified drag equations.
•Advantages:
• Simple to use, especially for preliminary design.
• Based on real-world data, providing reliable estimates for known
shapes.
•Disadvantages:
• Limited accuracy for complex or new designs.
• Requires physical testing, which may not always be available.
•Example: NASA’s historical data on the drag of cone-cylinder rockets can
be used to estimate drag for similar shaped rockets at different Mach
numbers based on wind tunnel tests.
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
CFD uses numerical simulations to solve the Navier-Stokes equations, which
describe fluid flow around a rocket. CFD simulations model airflow, pressure,
and temperature around the rocket in great detail, predicting drag with high
accuracy, especially for complex shapes and varying flight conditions (subsonic,
transonic, supersonic).
•Advantages:
• Highly accurate for complex geometries and flow conditions.
• Provides detailed insights into flow fields, pressure distributions, and
turbulence.
•Disadvantages:
• Computationally expensive and time-consuming.
• Requires significant expertise in simulation tools and fluid dynamics.
•Example: For a rocket with a boat-tailed rear end, CFD can simulate the airflow
over the entire surface, predicting how the boat-tail reduces base drag by
streamlining airflow and reducing separation at the rear.
Analytical Methods
Analytical methods for estimating drag rely on simplified flow theories, such
as potential flow theory and boundary layer theory, to provide drag
approximations. These methods use known equations and approximations to
estimate the drag for streamlined or ideal shapes, and are effective for early-
stage design work.
•Advantages:
• Quick and easy to apply for preliminary estimates.
• Based on well-known fluid dynamics principles.
•Disadvantages:
• Limited accuracy, especially in turbulent or supersonic flow regimes.
• Assumes ideal flow conditions, which may not reflect real-world
situations.
•Example: For a cylindrical rocket body, using potential flow theory, the skin
friction drag can be estimated by calculating the boundary layer development
over the rocket's surface. However, this method may not fully capture the
effects of flow separation or shock waves in transonic/supersonic flight.

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