Reg. No.

B.Tech. DEGREE EXAMII\ATION, MAy 2016

Sixth Semester

AS1O18 _ ROCKET PROPULSION

@or the candidates admined during the academic year 201i - 2014 and 20 j4 -20,15)
(Use of gas tables are permitted)
Note:
(i) Part - A should be answered in OMR sheet within fust 45 minulss and OMR sheet
should be handed
over to hall invigilator at the end of 456 minute.
(it) Part - B and Part - C should be answered in answer booklet.

Time: Three Hours

Mal Marks: 100

PART-A(20x 1=20Marks)
Answer ALL Questions
1- A rocket nozzle is designed to produce maximum thrust at an altitude, H:gkm from sea
level. The nozzle operates in
(A) Under expanded condition for (B) Under expanded condition for H<8km
H>8km
(C) Sonic exit condition for H>8km (D) Unchoked condition for H<8km

2. The characteristics velocity ,C* is given by

(A) Jet velocity (B) Thrwtcoefficient
fn utt"*fi"Unt Jet velocity
(C) Thrust coefficient x Jet velociry (D) Mass flow rate x jet velocity

3. A rocket engine produces a t}rust of 1000N at sea level with a propellant flow are of 0.4
kg/s, then the specific impulse is
(A) 384.94 sec @) 298.36 sec
(C) 254.84 sec (D) 398.36 sec

4. The relationship between payload mass function (a), strucnral mass fraction (p) and
propellant mass fraction (y) is given by
(A) 0-P-y = 1 @) c[+B+y - 1
(C) s+F=-T (D) cx+B-y=l
5. Mixture ratio is
(A) M^t of oiditn - (B) Mass of fuel
Massof fuel Mass of oxidiser
(C) Mass of fuel + Mass of oxidizer @) Mass of fuel x Mass of oxidizer

6. A propellant is said to be fuel rich, if

(B) Mixture ratio > stoichiometric mixfure ratio
mixture ratio
(C) Mixture ratio stoichiometic @)
_ Mixture ratio
mixture ratio :1.725
s to i c hi o metri c mixtur e r atio

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25MA6ASl018
 7. A cryogenic rocket has a specific impulse of 455 seconds and characteristics velocity of
2386 m/s. The value of thrust coefficient for this rocket is
(A) 232 (B) 1.87
(c) 1.20 (D) 3.8e

8. When fuel and oxidizer are in different phases, then t}te propellant combustion is termed as

(A) Mono-propellant @) Bi- propellant

(C) Hybrid propellant (D) Stable propellant
9. The condition for stable operation of a solid propellant rocket is
(A) n>1 (B) n<l
(c) n:o (D) n=70

10. Theburnratelawis
(A) 1 (B) 1

r =aPrA , - ,1t n-2

(c) r aPcn (D) r - rP"'-n
=

11. The chamber pressure in a hollow cylindrical grain solid rocket motor with
respect to time
(A) Decreases @) Increases
(C) Constant @) Decreases and then increases

12. Burn rate of different solid propellants are generally compared at the reference pressure of

(A) 70 atmosphere @) 7 atnosphere

(C) 70 MPa (D) 70 Pa

13. The mass flow rate of oxidizer is given by

(A) Mass flow rate of propellant x (B) Mass flowrateof ry9P4lant
mixture ratio | + mixtureratio
(c) Mass flowrateof propellant (D) (Mass flow are of propellant)x(1+mixnre
ratio)
mixtureratio
14. Pressure fed system are used in rocket engines having
'(A)
Higher engine thrust (>220 @) Lower engine thrust (<220 lN)
kI.I)
(C) Tank pressure lower than chamber (D) Gas generator systern
pressr[e
15. The fuel of density 864 kg/m3 is injected with a discharge coefficient of 0.66 tlrough a
orifice diameter of 0.32 mm- and a p.ess.re drop of 0.35 MPa., then the mass flow rate of fuel
is
(A) 1.31kg/s (B) 3.a6 kds
(C) 1.31g/s (D) 3.46 e/s
16. Volume flow rate of propellant is given by
(A) Mass flow rate x DensitY of (B) Mass of propellant x Density of propellant
propellant
(C) Mass flowrate (D) Mass of propellant
Densityof propellant Densityof propellant

25t\rA6ASl018
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 17. The electro magnetic rocket works on
(A) Seeback effect (B) Raman effect
(C) Mapus effect (D) Hall effect

18. In electro-thermal thruster, fhe propellant is heated by

(A) Magnetic power @) Electric power
(C) Nuclear power @) Thrustpower

19. In ion propulsion technique the propellant used is

(A) Chemical atoms (B) Solar powered atoms
(C) Nuclear atoms (D) E1ecticallY charged atoms

20. Nuclear powered rockets use radio active material to heat junction of a therrnocouple to
generate electricity by
(A) Raman effect (B) Seebackeffect
(C) Magnus effect @) Hall effect
PART-B(5x4=20Marks)
Answer AI{Y trTfE Questions

2I. Draw enerry balance and efficiency diagram of a chemical rocket engine and define
propulsive efficiency and thermal effrciency.

22. A small rocket having of 98 lN, out of

a specific impulse of 200 s produces a total thrust
which 10 lcl.{ is the pressure thrust. Considering the acceleration due to gravity as 9.81
m/s2. Calculate the propellant mass flow rate in kgis.

23. Calculate the mixture ratio for burning 2 moles of kerosene with oxygen. Also calculate the
mole fraction of fuel (kerosene - CpH2a).

24. A solid rocket motor is designed with a cylindrical end-burning propellant grain of length
1 m and diameter 32 cm. The density of propellant grain is 1750 kg/m3. The specific
impulse of the motor is 190 sec and the acceleration due to gravity is 9.81 m/s'. The
propellant burns for a period of 150 sec. Calculate the thrust produced by the rocket.

25, What are the important factors that influence the burning rate of a solid propellant?

26. Write down the functions of injector used in liquid propellant rocket engine with a neat
sketch.

27. What are advantages and disadvantages and disadvantages of a Nuclear propulsion
technique?

PART-C(5xL2=60Marks)
Answer ALL Questions

28. a A rocket projective has following characteristics. Initial mEISs :

200 kg. Mass after rocket
operation : 130 kg, Payload and structural mass : 110 kg, Rocket operation duration 3 -
seconds, Specific impulse of propellant = 240 seconds. Deterrnine: Vehicle mass ratio,
propellant mass fraction, Propellant flow rate, Thrust, Thrust to weight ratio, effective jet
velocity and Specific propellant consumption.

(oR)
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 b. A three stage satellite launch vehicle is used for placing a satellite of mass 1900 kg in an
orbit. The mass of structure including ine4 the mass of propellant and specific impulse of
each stage are below in table
Stage Mass of stnrcture Propellant mass Specific impulse
And inert (ke) (ke) (seconds)
I 25,000 1,40,000 270
tr 6.200 40,000 300
m 2,500 13,000 454
Determine the following
(i) Payload mass fraction
(ii) Ideal AV for each stage and
(iii) Total AV.

29. a.i. Write down the criteria for selection of the chemical propellant for a rocket with proper
justification.

ii. How do you classiff solid propellant rocket and liquid propellant rocket? Name any four
solid and liquid propellant ingedients used in rocket.

(oR)
b. Considering a stoichiometric mixture of isooctane and air, determine the mole fraction fuel
-air ratio, mole fraction of HzO in products and heat of combustion by assumiug ttre
following reaction takes place CtHr e + x(O2 + 3.7 8N ) -+ BCO2 + 9 H 20 + x(3.7 8)N 2
where
Mf ,rrr, - -249.95k1 I mote
Mrf coz= -393'5lkl I mole

M f ,ro = -285'83 kI I mole'

30. a An end buming propellant rocket with a bum rate law of r = 0.004 *o+s (r in mm,/second, p
in Pascal) has the following data. Thrust developed :5 kN; Nozzle throat diameter = 28
mm; specific impulse = 1900P. Burn duration: 200 seconds; Propellanr grain densiry :
kg
1540 kglm3, characteristic velocity : 1600 m/s. Calculate tire diameter of the propellant
grain and length ofthe Propellant grain.

b. A solid rocket motor has the forfo*irrg(?P.uting characteristics. Sea level thrust 15000 N,
bum duration 15 seconds, chamber pressure .5 MPa., specific heat ratio 1.2, chamber
temperature 2800 k, burn rate 8 mm,/sec at 7.5 MP4 propellant density 1600 kg/m3,
molecular mass 28 kg/ k mole. Assuming a neutral buming and an operating at sea level
calculate
(i) Characteristic velocity
(ii) Exhaust jet velocity
(iii) Thrust coefficient at optimum expansion
(iv) Specific impulse at sea level
(v) Nozde throat area
(vi) Weight of propellant and
(vii) Buming surface area.
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 31. a- A liquid oxygen - liquid hydrogen rocket produoes a thrust of 44.82 kN at the chamber
pressure of 6.8947 MPa, with a mixture ratio of 3.4 has a orhaust product with a mean
molecular mass of 28 kg/mole. It produces the oombustion temperatur€ of 2689 k and a
specific heat ratio of 1,26. Determine the nozzle throat area, rrozz)e orit area for optimum
operation at an attitude where pressure is 10.893 KPa. Also calculate propellant weight
flow rate, volume flow rate and total propellant required for 2 minutes of operation
:
Assume fuel density 800 kg/m3 and oxiAizer density = 1400 kg/m3 Cr = 1.72 and actual
specific impulse is 97o/o of theoretical value'

(oR)
b. Explain the working of a liquid propellant rocket engine using pump fed system with a neat
sketch. What are the advantages and disadvantages of plmF fed system.

32. a.i. Draw a neat sketch and explain the general working of a nuclear rocket. (8 Mark$

ii. Write down the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear propulsion tecbnique. (4 Marks)

(oR)
b. Draw a neat sketch and explain the electo -thermal propulsion rocket thruster. Write down
its merits and demerits.

r*****

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