ANALYSIS, FEASIBILITY, AND WALL-TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION OF A RADIATION-COOLED NUCLEAR-ROCKET NOZZLE
Abstract
An analysis was made to determine the feasibility of operating radiation-cooled nuclear-rocket nozzles with hydrogen as the propellant. Walltemperature distributions and heat fluxes along the nozzle were calculated by two techniques. One wall-temperature distribution was obtained from a simplified heat balance which included only the convection into the wall and the radiation from the wall. A more refined calculation was made for wall temperature in which the heat balance also included the radiation inside the nozzle and the axial and radial heat conduction. The agreement between the two solutions of temperature distribution was excellent in the divergent portion of the nozzle. The average temperature difference over the range of pressure and area ratio investigated was approximately 1 percent. In the convergent section large differences in temperature between the two solutions were observed, because the radiant heat flux from the reactor to the nozzle was neglected in the simplified solution. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1962
- Accession Number
- AD0269904
Entities
People
- Carroll A.todd Todd
- William H. Robbins
Organizations
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration