Thrust Table for Measuring High-Power Model Rocket Engines
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Campus where you would like to present
Ellensburg
Event Website
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source
Start Date
15-5-2019
End Date
15-5-2019
Abstract
As the field of astronautical engineering continues to grow, the demand for workers having experience with thrust analysis and rocketry grows as well. The goal of this project is to design and manufacture a thrust table to be used in future projects involving high-power model rockets. The thrust table is designed using a rail system with extruded aluminum and aluminum base plate, and electronics based on Arduino to measure thrust and chamber pressure in the rocket engine. The data collected is then used in a Matlab model to predict the flight of the rocket. Initial testing shows the table returns reliable thrust measurement, but further testing is needed to improve measurements of chamber pressure. The next step in this project is to use the table to test nozzle properties’ effects in the thrust of the motors, and to optimize those properties for maximum thrust and efficiency.
Recommended Citation
MacLurg, Joshua, "Thrust Table for Measuring High-Power Model Rocket Engines" (2019). Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 20.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2019/Oralpres/20
Department/Program
Physics
Slides for SOURCE 2019 presentation MacLurg
Additional Files
SOURCE presentation Josh MacLurg.pptx (247587 kB)Slides for SOURCE 2019 presentation MacLurg
Thrust Table for Measuring High-Power Model Rocket Engines
Ellensburg
As the field of astronautical engineering continues to grow, the demand for workers having experience with thrust analysis and rocketry grows as well. The goal of this project is to design and manufacture a thrust table to be used in future projects involving high-power model rockets. The thrust table is designed using a rail system with extruded aluminum and aluminum base plate, and electronics based on Arduino to measure thrust and chamber pressure in the rocket engine. The data collected is then used in a Matlab model to predict the flight of the rocket. Initial testing shows the table returns reliable thrust measurement, but further testing is needed to improve measurements of chamber pressure. The next step in this project is to use the table to test nozzle properties’ effects in the thrust of the motors, and to optimize those properties for maximum thrust and efficiency.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2019/Oralpres/20
Faculty Mentor(s)
Darci Snowden