...

LS4: Engine Cooling Design

Lecture Zoom Recording

Original Author: Alexander Hodge '22, ahodge@mit.edu

• Note: This learning set looks at heat transfer in rocket nozzles, and how to design different engine cooling methods to keep the engine cool.
• Great Links
  

  • regenerative cooling diagram

  • using Rocket Propulsion Analysis software for thermal modeling

Introduction:

Why learn about heat transfer?

 The general problem to solve is high temperatures in the combustion chamber, as these products of combustion are really hot (upwards of ~3000K, or 5000F!), so hot that it is above the melting temperature of virtually all metals. The job of the cooling designer is to keep engine metal below the material limits. This means that the cooling designer must understand how to effectively transfer the heat away from the combustion gas.

What is heat transfer?

 ‘Heat transfer’ is the transfer of heat from one place to another. Thermodynamic laws (i.e. the second law of thermodynamics) say that heat always flows in the direction opposite to the temperature gradient, meaning heat will flow from hot to cold temperatures.   How much heat will flow depends on the type of heat transfer.