Research

Astronomy & Space Sciences

Title :

Solid cryogenic green propulsion system

Area of research :

Astronomy & Space Sciences

Focus area :

Cryogenic Engineering

Details

Executive Summary :

Cryogenic propellants offers the highest energy efficiency for rocket engines because of the low molar mass of their combustion products, high combustion temperature hence maximum specific impulse can be obtained. The complex feed system required either with turbo-pumps and regenerative cooling is disadvantaging the cryogenic propulsion systems. Solid propellant rocket motors are simple because they not have the complex feed system and solid propellant insulates the combustion chamber walls from the hot gases so there is no need of cooling. The performance of solid rocket motors (in terms of lsp) is substantially lower than of cryogenic liquid engines and the mass of the combustion chamber is substantially higher than the mass of the liquid propellant tanks. The advantage is that the demonstrated reliability of solid rocket motors is higher than that of liquid engines and the cost of a solid motor is only a meagre portion of a liquid engine for the same total impulse. Present solid rockets propellants are not the eco friendly chemicals.

Co-PI:

Shri R. Perumal Pillai, ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragir

Organizations involved