Aerodynamics of a Rocket

Mentor: A/P Andrew Wee

Group Members:
• Darwin Gosal
• Martin Lee
• Tan Hai Siong
• Tan Kim Seng
Outline
■ Introduction
■ Theoretical Background
■ Procedure / Set Up
■ Results and Analysis
■ Conclusion
■ Improvements
■ Further Experiment
Introductio
n
These fin shapes with angle θ varying from 45º to
90º (in increasing steps of 5º) will be inserted onto the
rocket body shaft during the experiment. A wind tunnel
will be used to channel moving air currents upward
towards the rocket body. An empirical relation between
the resulting drag force and the angle θ would be
obtained from the experimental results. The
interdependence between the wind speed with these
two variables was investigated.
Introductio
n

θ
ROCKET BODY
 Theoretical
Background

■ Viscous Drag :- drag due to skin

friction

■ Form Drag :- drag due to the

separation of the flow from the body
which results in the alteration of
pressure distribution.
 Theoretical
Background
■ The expressions for the coefficient of
viscosity  and the shearing stress  in
terms of the properties of the fluid & of the
flow are:

■ = 1/3  c L

■ =  u / y
 Theoretical
Background
■ The concept of a shearing stress is:
Rate of transfer of downstream
momentum in a direction lateral to
the flow.
■ The shearing stress at the surface :
 =  u / y is the skin
friction (Force per unit area.)
■ This is exerted by the fluid on the
surface in the tangential direction.
 Theoretical
Background
1. Euler’s Equation may be written as:

2. After summing up the pressure and shear forces on an

element in a boundary layer : -

3. We thus obtain the boundary layer equation of motion:

 Theoretical
Background
4. The continuity equation for incompressible flow :-

5. The boundary layer equation of

motion and the continuity equation are
the equations available for the solution of
our aerodynamic problem.
 Theoretical
Background
y= 1. For the steady flow of the
y incompressible viscous fluid
along a flat plate:

Ue

2. Upon solving these differential

Figure 3.3: - Boundary Layer on a
flat plate
equations, we obtained an expression
for the drag force: 1/ 2
1  ue 
µA u  
drag per unit area = 4 2 e  vx 
where ue is the speed of wind of the wind tunnel
as measured by the anemometer.
Procedure / Set
Up
F1
Pulley

F3 F2
Lever
Rocket Body with Fins
Connecting
Wires pivot
Force
Transducer Anemometer

Balance Pan with Standard Wind Tunnel

Weights

Voltmeter
 Results &
Analysis
F1 vs wind speed

0.007

0.0065

0.006
45
50
0.0055
55
F1 (N)

60
0.005
65
70
0.0045
75
80
0.004
85
90
0.0035

0.003

0.0025
7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 10 10.5 11

Wind speed (m/s)

Results &
Analysis
Grap Velocity of Total increase Gradient of Regression
hs wind(m/s) (10-4 N) line (10-5 N degree-1 )

A 7 3.72780 1.390

B 8 5.54694 1.909

C 9 8.91686 2.736

D 10 10.1992 3.029

E 11 20.8160 4.718
Results &
Analysis
Graph A : V=7m/s
0.0045

0.004

0.0035
y = 0.0000139x + 0.0025471
0.003

0.0025
F1

0.002

0.0015

0.001

0.0005

0
40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95

Angle
Results &
Analysis
Graph B : V=8m/s

0.0045
0.004
0.0035
y = 0.00001909x + 0.00252356
0.003
0.0025
F1

0.002
0.0015
0.001
0.0005
0
40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95

Angle
Results &
Analysis
Graph C : V=9m/s

0.006

0.005

0.004
y = 0.0000273592x + 0.0023886791
F1

0.003

0.002

0.001

0
40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95

Angle
Results &
Analysis
Graph D : V=10m/s

0.006

0.005

0.004
y = 0.00003029x + 0.00267907
F1

0.003

0.002

0.001

0
40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95

Angle
Results &
Analysis
Graph E (V=11m/s)

0.007

0.006

0.005
y = 0.00004718x + 0.00221553
0.004
F1

0.003

0.002

0.001

0
40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95

Angle
 Results &
Analysis
Graph Angle (degrees) Gradient of Regression Line (N m-1 s)
F 45 0.000326
G 50 0.000270
H 55 0.000500
I 60 0.000429
J 65 0.000310
K 70 0.000515
L 75 0.000577
M 80 0.000516
N 85 0.000584
O 90 0.000715
Conclusion
….
■ There is a clear, direct relationship
between resistive force and the
variables and furthermore more that it
is an increasing function of both of
them.
■ It has also been observed that with
higher wind speed, the resistive force
increases more quickly with increasing
angles.
Problems &
Improvements
Problems &
Improvements
Problems &
Improvements
Problems &
Improvements

θ
Problems &
Improvements
 Further
Experiment

Frame to be
secured to
Fishing lines retort stand.
connected to
P the 4 corners
of the frame.
Rocket
 Further
Experiment

Force
Transducer

PART A
Voltmeter

Pulley
Fishing Wind
Line Tunnel
 Further
Experiment

Force F
acting Note that because of
on string 4 taut strings holding
the rocket to the
frame, the rocket can
only turn in the frame
To Force Original but cannot move up
transducer Position or down in the frame.
Slack
String
 Further
Experiment

Upward force
acting on the
force
transducer’s rod.

Force transducer
THE END
Weight Balance
Pulley
Anemometer
Rocket Body
Force Transducer
Wind Tunnel
Pivot