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Design and structural analysis of a thrust chamber for a spinning supersonic rocket – a case study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 February 2016

K. M. Rajan
Affiliation:
Armament Research and Development Establishment, Pune, India
K. Narasimhan
Affiliation:
Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science, Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, India

Abstract

The design of a thrust chamber for a rocket propulsion system is a challenging task. The thrust chamber has to be designed for minimum structural weight with an adequate factor of safety. This calls for a thorough knowledge of various structural loads, both internal and external, and the behaviour of the structure in flight. This paper presents the design and structural analysis of a pressure vessel used as thrust chamber for a rocket propulsion unit. The effects of kinetic heating, thermal stress, spinning and various aerodynamic loads and their mutual interactions are accounted for in this analysis. Based on a detailed stress analysis of the components and a modal/structural dynamic analysis of the flight vehicle as a whole, in which the thrust chamber is the main load bearing member, the required mechanical properties of the thrust chamber are obtained.

Type
Case Report
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 2005 

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