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Oneor more ofthe FoDowlngStatements may affect tbIs Docmnent

~

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This document has been reproduced from the best copy furnished by the
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-,'

TT F-843"

ROCKET ENGINE

SCT-1

/~,l

".

')

LA Jc/fl.:':/,::><

/~

B~ Buitron

by P.

N71-71501~

'"
o

.<:

--4l!fL-

R)

//

~...

~(ASA

'7
-:t

(CODE)

""

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...
')-

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---=::

CR 01< ~MX oRAD

NUMSER)

Translation
of !lEl Motor de Reaccion del Cohete SCT-1!1. Comunicaciones:
y Transportes,
No. 9, Vol. 2, pp. 49-56, Nov.-Dec.
1960

Mexico

NATIONAL

AERONAUTICS

WASHINGTON

TT

F-8431

AND

SPACE

ADMINISTRATION

MAY 1963

I
I

SCT -~ ROOKEI ENGniE

The design fer the engine of the SOT-1 rocket is based on past
experience with this type o~.engine, especial1y vdth the German V-2fS;
we therefore decided to use 75% ethyl alcohol as fuel and liquid 02rJgen
as eombustion agent. In .selecting this fuel, ,re based our study on
1're viere t:rying te achieve in the way of opt,irn.rm
what "fe kne,'/"
and en w'.o.at

results considering the high ex.haust

speed

of the

combustion

gases,

",hieh in turn of course ,vould give us IP..axi,'rlum

altitudes.
Ihe follo.",:L'1g
of t;ypiea1 fue1 eharaoteristics
,,hieh have been usad
table is an analysis
L-rJ.experiments

with

recket

engi..1'1es.

TBEORETICAL EX.4UST SPEEJ) OF COMBUSTIOt'I GASES ll1 m.1sec

FD15L

HYDRC'GEN

WITRIC ACID

PEROXIDE
H;vd.rogen
Octane
Carben
Ethyl alchol
r<!ethyl alcllol
Aniline
Yinyl et..J:\er
B:yd.rate .o:hydrazine

OXYGEN

1630/3990

4570/4210

561(>52 O

4190/3690

3810/3600

46lOj+150
't32Q/!;2'S
1100/4200
'J2'6/3990
417/4J70
H"i5!"JJ2G

3860/3580

3540/3460

3980/3580

3700/3480

3900/3480

3640/3360

39&0/3640

37JO/3550

3990i3650

3740/3560
3760/3430

3960/3530

- 1

~}280/397()

'-

""--~---"--'--

"C

TBEOBETICAL EXAUST SPEED OF cmmUSTION GASES IN

misec
u

-FUEL

6S00/b300
4920/-\,,20

6095/5710
5090/4930
1790/1720
4840/4650
4640/4420
4765/4680
4890/4780
46J 0/4330

Octane
Carbon
Ethy1. alcohol
Methyl alcohol
Aniline
Vinyl ether
HYdrate of hydrazine

397;/3"40
47'10/.f62"1
-I'5ii/H,';()
,1'17:JH90
'152;)/142(i
1610/)-\'10
u

agents

Tht4'above table
not yet inactual

is

calculated
use.

for

the

,,-..

FLOURlDE

OZONE

Hyd.rQgen

""-u--u,,u,--

same fuels

but

with

"'--"""""'-""""--'"

"

eombustion

The highest theoretieal

exhaust speed in our ehemieal formulas will
be produced by the reaction o pure ozone with pure beryllium at 7,,310 m/see.
at sea level.
By eomparison" our high explosives look rather slow; the
theoretieal
exhaust speeds here are:
Nitroglycerine

mjsee
3,880

Nitrocellulose

3,660

Dynamite

3,300

Double-base
Picric

powder

3,240

acid

To burn hydrogen
following
values:

2,600
with

oxygen,

with

an excess

of hydrogen,

0.5 kgH2
1. O kgH2
1.5 kgH2
2.0 kgH2
2.5 kgH2

mjsee
5,170
5,030
4,890
4,770
4,680
4,570

1 kgH2- 8 kg02- 3.0 kgH2-

4,470

-1 kgH2
I .

!t

- 8 kg02

1 kgH2- 8 kg02 1l}gH2 -8 ~02 1 kga2 - 8 kg02 1 kgH2- 8 kg02 1 kgH2- 8 kg02 -

--,2 -

we get

the

~
These data were compute o. by Dr. Eugen Sanger,
published in 1950.

a German, anO. were

Looking at the preceding table, we can see that the soliO. fue1s
are those that have th lowest ve10oity; as Dr. Sanger said, the values
here are theoretioa1
anO. it is rea11y impossib1e to get these results
in
a rocket because of incomplete reaction in combustion, heat 10ss, and
theoretical
expansion ratios.
However, we can say that there is a
tendency to reach the va1ues shown in these tables.
We can see that the
se1eotion of a fue1 depends to a great extent on the conditions
of the
working medi'um anO. the achievement of target figures.
CHARACTERISTICS

Oxygen injection
75% alcohol

Pressure

pressure:

infection

in combustion

Gas extraction
Tempara ture

OF V-2

ROCKET ENGINES

26 kg/sq cm (370 lbs/sq

pressure:

chamber:

inch).

24.65 kgfsq cm (350 1bs/sq

inch).

15.14 kgfsq

inch).

vel.ocity

at sea 1evel:

in combustion

chamber:

cm (215 1bs/sq

2,000 m/sec (6,560 ft/sec).

2,0000 C.

Here are some more data derive o. from the dimensions

of the rocket

engine:
1 kg of 75% alcohol
with LOX with the previous1y
mentioned
we need 6.8 cu dm/l kg Of 75% alcohol
in the com.bustion

To burn
characteri'stics,
chamber.

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

1.

Fuel consumption, 75% alcohol:

LOXconsumption:

1 kg/sec.

1.3 kgfsec.

2.

\ve a1so assumed that a11 materials

would have to have high resistance
anO.wou1.d have to take high temperatures
without deformation.

3.

Th variolls injectors
had to have ):~ha.:racteristics
of high pulverization
anO. hao. to be so constituted
that combustion would takeplace
in them
asi1y.

4.

In order to be able te start en the construction

right away, we
specified
th~t we were not going te use any material that was not

readi1y available

in Merico.

.----------

-3

,--.-----------------------..-------

--

Our ca1culations
refer to sea' 1eve1: that is to say, we took an
sq mChJsicf)
because in
atmospheric pressure of 1.033 kg/sq cm (14.7
the beginningwe
though that we would have to make OUTlaunoh tests at a
site near the port of Campeohe, sinoe this was an area which offered gOQd
environmenta1 oonditions.

In accordance with the mitia1

had the following value

Vj

impulse

"

where:
w = weight

of combustion'gases/sec

g = 9.$2 m/sec

(32.2

v j = gas escape

ve1ocity

the specific

(1)

=:

l F

oharaoteristics,

-- 2.3
9.8

ft/sec2).

-2,000

m/seo (such as we know it).

x 2000 = 470 kg.

Therefore,
1 =

- 2.3 kg/sec

470

2.3

the specific

impulse has the iollowing

va1ue:

= 204 see.

?~!fJs OF .ca>1BU~T;:O~,
~B~

There is no doubt that the shape oi the combustion chamber oi the

V-2 fS was so designed as to be able to withstand high pressure;
that is
to say, it had the shape oi a sphere which, as we 1mow, can take twice the
inside pressure m eomparison
to the cy1mdrica1
shape.
'Sffice tne'llse oi thespheria,lsha.pe
tion me>re,cc>IJ;p1icated,we deidedto
sett1e
b,~q~-g;$e"{~l;ft$;ts!IlP1icity:; he~e1ie'wer~a1so
a.rrangement for the injedtionnozz1es.
. _.Il1!;~AT.~O:N'

OE.;,~~.ION>'O}i'

w'ould rriake the entire construconthe cylindrica1

shape nere
going to get an ad~qua.te

..Gq.IBTJ~TION

GHAMBER

The reasonable ve1ocity m,the .combustion chamber whicn was indicated

here ,re.s 60-120 m/ sec (200-400 it/ sec), in case oi the cylilldrica1
shape;
that is to day, these low velocities,
with 1.iach numbers mucn lower than the
-4

I
!
1

SCT.,.l CO~USTION

1
fJ5%

CHAMBER

alcohol

betention

wall

---

'f&'

.1ox retenhon

141

:L
-

vTall

'
t.
nJec t~on
"~
,
~ead

li
""

---l.

~njection capsul e,

22 alcohol
nozz
~~nd 22 LOX'
ilozzles -

<D
""
M')

01
....

les
O

looling
\ozzles I

[gnition

capsule,

\2 sec_i

I
I

\lcohol

l'

COOr J.ng

;If)
;-

jacket
Iteel wire
for
pening
pressure
valve
Iiattery
r
I

bpper wire for

~ition
of 'capsule,

tartingcombustion
~_..JI"'-'
I
~"
I

""'-

>""--"""""",,,,-,"

-~".,~I

.,"';"'

"""

, '--

'1,-v.t"

t,==~=~~'~'="=-~~=:='::::~:=-=~-"~r
! ~,1l dimensions

in

mm"-r-"'-"""'--'~"'T

i ~tj I,~,M I

~::='j'Lf-4

-_.~:..'~'11fJ

.
1--

L~J2:.

'1$'
10
q

exhaust gas velocity,

do not produce' strong, dynamic vibrations
on the
inside, which can become quite dangeI'ous; if we were to have to contend
with this kind of vibration,
we would need high-resistanee
eombustion
ehambeI's which in turn wou1.d have to be much heavier.
In addition,
these
strong vibrations
wou1.d lead to low temperatures
in the wall.s of the combustion chambers, as we shall. see.
For the ealeulation

of this

part,

we used the fo1.1.owing formulas;

-- which

Sinee we must have continuity

of combustion
flow of gases -- we have the fo1.1.owing:

henee:

A=-

'Vl

(2)

vl

A = section

of combustion

V, = inside

velocity

ehamber in sq m oI' sq ft.

gases = 60 m/see

of combustion

w = weight of fuel and eombustion

lb/sec = 2.3 kg/sec.
volume in eu ft/lb

From equation

agent

(200 ft/sec).

(pI'opellants)

in kg/sec

or

or cu m/kg.

(1)

w=Besides,

= w V,

AVI

Vl = specific

produces

Fg

Vl

we know that
_ V _RT l

the total

volume is =

- 1- -

Pl
But, as we know, the constant
weight m, is constant;
Substituting

i.e.,
in V,

Vl=-

of the gases R, due to its molecular

Rm.= R' = 847 in the metrie system.

we have:

RtTl

11

(3)

m Pl

- q

--------

'

'-'

'

'

Therefore, the circular

have the fo110wing va1ue:

A =

FgR

section of the combustion chamber wil1

t~T1

(4)

V.mPlv1
J
Here we have:
F = 470

kg

g = 9.$2 m/sec'..

R t = Rm = 847 = 1544 (US system)

F.

TI

= 20000 e + 273 = 22730 e = 4091.40

vj

= 2000 m/ sec ..nchis the velocity of the exhaust gases at sea level
and which was then checked out exper:i.mentally; further
down, we wil1
ca1culate
the coefficients
with vlhich the nozzles
are working
in
order

to

justify

the

va1ue

m ..= 23.4 in lb/lb mol = 23.4

Pl

of V j' when

kg/kg

= pressure in combustion chamber

215 lb/sq inch.
Substituting

we

compute

the

nozzle

opening.

moJ..
15.1 kg/sq cm = 15.1 X 10~ kg/sq m =

the va1ues, the section wi11 look like this:

A =

470 X 9.$22 X $47 X 2273

2000

23.4

X 15.1

X 10* X

= 20$.$5 X lOA m'-= 20$.$5

60

cm"""

hence:

d =. lb.32.cm.
For the design, we

took:

d = 16.5 cm.
In
dimensions

order to
for the

get the
engine,

figures we .need in order

we set up the following:

to find

the

right

V.J = v2

P3 = P2

-7
--'

'--'-'~

""'-

..-~~

".--~~

..

-'"f$

-1

..L

r
~

h;

v""

.-.
1.-

v"'

.,

I
"2 J '2

..

DETERt1D!ATION OF AREA OF THROAT

The effective thrust is smaller than the one computed for an ideal
rocket and "le can correct it by means of an empirical f9-ctor 6.
F

=""effective thrust

Fi = ideal thrust.
\fe now have:

F = .~ Fi = 6GFPi

Ag

(5)
[

Ag =.6,CF:1

He~e P1 = p~ssu~

in combustion chamber

Ag = area ofthroat

CF

can

= thrust

coefficient.

In order to avoid having to go through

go to any text book on thermodynamics
and

value of CF:

this
find

whole operation,
l.e
the fol1owing
for the

- ~8 ---~--"--"

~-~--"--"'

~"

'

'---'--'_~-~"--_'_'_'"--'--~'

'

"""

"-"--"---"'---"'."""""-'

"'""-

~-\

~~~~

ef

In this

= pressure

P,
p

2.

I.~~) T

t~ ~+I~

-p

~
p\

(6)

---2::-

A~

equation:

in combustion chamber of nozzle.

= pressure at nozzle out let.

= atmospheric pressure.

,3

It is a good idea to set up P2 = P3 which means that the formula

is reduced sole1y to the function of the square root; ttlat is to say:

P2

P3 X

= O

A
g

Pl

e
For

dealing

our

here

P1

ca1culations,

with

= 15.1

75%

we

alcohol

take:

with

K = 1.22 = -E--

.=

The

2.

kg m

here

11

(6),

we find that:

1.:35

correction

factor

the conditions of the nozzle.

with

are

LOX.

Subt:;itutihgth~ values in the formula

we

X 10'+ kg/m'1-

P2 = 1.033 X 10

~C

because

e
v

is figured

varies from 0.92 to 1 and depends on

Since in our case the force we are "\",rorking

on an exper:irn.ental1y determined

ve1ocity,

1Ira

have:

=1
- 9:;-

,-""",-".,_.,---,

",--",

~,~~

~~~,

~._-,..~-~

~-~"

'-'

"--"

'-.-

--.-...---

Therefore:

=- F

e FPl

Substituting

A
g -

we get:

470 kg.
= 23.056 X 10,.,1/-m~
1.35 X 15.1 X 101/-

Therefore,
d

the values,

the diam~~~~ of the throat

= 5.4

cm2.

be:

cm.

Checking all va1ues and taking

the exact surface for the throat is:
A

will

= 23.056

-- 22.$5

5.4 cm as our definite

diameter,

cm2..

We have thus determined the section of the throat L~ accordance

with the thermodynamic characteristics
and >'lenO1'lgo on to determine the
other dimensions of the combustion chamber; here we start on the assumption
that we are going to usethe
characteristics
ofthe
combustion chamber of
the engines for the V-2; as 'le said in the beginning, we need an average
vo1ume of 6. $ cudm in order to burn 1 kg of 75% alcohol and the total
ang1e in the cone of the combustion chamber must be 860.
Through geometric calculations,
we determined the form of the
combustion chamber in accordance with the dimensions determined ear1ier;
that is to say, a diameter of 16.5 cm and a cylindrical
portion with a
1ength

of 27.2

cm; the

conical

part,

up to the

throat,

is

6.$ cm.

We mustnote
here that, if we are going to take into account the
reConnnen.dations made in various books on the 1ength of the combustion
qha.nbe~,we wouJ,d geta chamber that would be 50% smaller volume-wise
thn the onedetermined.' with the data for the V-2; therefore
we decided to
ignore these reconnnendations and started
designing the entire engine to fit
the combustion chamber and nozzles,
on the basis of the considerations
arising out of the V-2 data.

-10

ESCAPE GAS NOZZLE

The design of the V-2 rocket used an area ratio of 3.3 between the
throat and the outlet and had an angle of 24 at the mouth.
In accordance
with the above data, we have:
A2

= 3.3

X At

= 3.3

X 28.85

= 95.205.

d2 = 9.8 cm.

We did not.provide

for a cooling chamber in the first engine because

we wanted to make an objective determination of the places where

high temperatures

1J'e

get

due to the position of the injector capsules.

In the second test'w6 'mad~ without coo~ing jacket on the engine at

San Bartolome, we "ere 9-ble to find the place s "here we were going to have
to put coo1ing nozz1es, regardless of ..hetherwe were a1so going to have
cooling jackets there.

1
I

As we can see in the drawing,we

putin
four injector capsules,
each used for the injection of alcohol in a horizonal jet, as well as for
the injection of LOX at an angle of 300 toward the center of the combustion
chamber.
The final design was very satisfactory becauS'e it was possible
to get high-temperature flames in the central por.tion.
The calculations
for the alcohol.injectors
as well as for the
injectors
-- keeping in mind the drop in the oxygen pressure
from 26
/

IDX
to

15.1 kg/sq cm and in alcohol from 24.65 to 15.1 kg/sq cm, using the
findings
of various authors
and figuring
the costs -- later on led to
completely
unacceptable
results because
in 5afo of the cases the expenditures for 1 kg of 75% alcohol
and 1.3 kg LOX came out smaller.
~ve are
not going into the computations
here because we do not really need to do
so since the number of holes and diameters
were determined
expertmentally.

The injection system adjustment was a ve~J delicate job because,

in addition to handling the flow of 1iquid we also had to have perfect
injection; we achieved this in the alcohol injection nozzles by means of
radial guides and in the oX'".fgen
nozzles by meaDS of some screws in the
copduction pipes.
In the chamber we had assemblies of miniature parts;
thj,sgave uS aperfect mixture ineach
capsule so that, after testing
each motor, w observd practica1ly perfect combustion in each capsule.
Number of injectors:
for alcohol:

22 in each capsule; injector diameter 0.8 IDm;

for oxygen: 22 in each capsule; injector di&eter:

15 injectors
with a diameter of 0.9 mm and seven injectors with a diameter of 0.85 ffiu.
...

This

means

that

we

had

a total

of 88 alcohol

and

88 oxygen

injectors.

- :11..-............

1,

In the cylindrical
portion oI' the combustion chamber, at a distance
of 15 mm, we had 24 cooling nozzles ,dth a diameter of 0.4 mm; our injection
pressure was 24.65 kg/sq cm (350 lbs/sq inch); during the second test of
the motor we had designed, .e observed that the material
in this part
became red-hot.
In the SCT-1 engine, the onl;}r cooling occurred when the
rocket was 1aunched into space; in the other engines we noticed failures
in some of the cooling nozz1es; this is why welater
on provided the next
rocket, that is the SCT-2, with a complete alcohol coo1ing ~system; that
is to say, the alcohol had to pass through the cooling jackets before
arriving
at the injection
nozzles.
We decided to use inoxidable chrome-nickel
steel because it was more
resistant
at higher temperatures
and bcause we had this material available
in the required size ando s.h~pe.Jn Merico.
The strongest
ness

~tress

to which the design was subjected

(a)
in the cylinder
of 1.6 illlll (1/16"):

of the

dXPl

f=-

combustion

= 16.5

X 15.1
2 X 0.16

2 e
thickness

(b)

in the outside
of 1.6 mm:
d

ch

X P

cy1inder

f =

with

1$.4 X 24.65

a sheet

thick-

:: 778 kg/cm2..

of the coo1ing jacket,

2 e

These stresses

chamber,

was as fol1ows:

with a sheet

= 1417 kg/ cm')..

2 X 0.16

at normal temperature

kg/sq cm, where permanent deforrnation

(304) N. i 18-20/C r $-10.

begins

,.e
re

much lower than 3,500

in the chrome-nicke1

steel

To make the combustion chamber stronger and more resistant

to the
high temperature!:! developed in it, .\Teprovided the SCT-l with reinforcing
as wel1as the conical
ri11gs (hoops) to strengthen the cy1inder interior
part toward the top; but, as we said before, when it was decided to feed
all the alcohol through the cooling jacket,
engineer Walter C. Buchanan
recommended that we insert four conduction screws into the cooling jacket
so that each nozzle would have one out1et for each injection
capsule.

- J2-

~~

~~

,--

~-~

~~

'-

----

....

Combustion

conducting

chamber of SCT-2 with

screws

for

cooling.

Combustion chamber with upper

cylinder of cooling jacket of
SCT-2.

This system solved our problem here; we can thus say that the

design o the SCT-2

embodied all the lessons we had learned.

The ignition capsule shovm in the illustration o the engine \,ras

designed or a duration o 12 seconds with an adequate mLxture of powder
and phosphorus; or our next rocket claculations we shall reduce the
time since we no longer need this longer interval here. This capsule i5
ignited electrically and by remote control.

As 1tfecan see in the illustrations, the principal alcohol conduit

has a retaining wall, as does the outlet duct rom the LOX tank; when the
pressure battery valve is opened; both of these conduits are closed off
and injection into the combustion chamber begins.

...

Further details of the design can be seen in the engine illustra-

tions.
We have thus shown how we designed the rocket engine. Ho\.ever,it
was necessary to adapt its characteristic so tha.t we could work with a
1.4 ratio between LOX and alcohol; that is to say, the chamber worked with
a combustion gas weight of 2/4 kg/sec.
The dimensions of the tanks and
the shape of the rocket were determined on the basis of the V-2 data;
this is ,-.rhy thecombustion
time was 44 seconds.

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