Air Propulsion Simulation
Simulating the performance of a compressed air propulsion system as an alternative to solid rocket motors using Julia.
The document outlines a capstone project focused on designing an air propulsion system for moving mining equipment on the Moon, using a propulsive landing mechanism. The team explored the feasibility of this system as an alternative to traditional solid rocket motors, conducting preliminary calculations rather than an exhaustive study. A paintball gun tank was selected as the pressure vessel due to its favorable pressure-to-weight ratio and durability. The simulation aimed to match the burn time of a G18ST rocket motor while varying the nozzle diameter to assess thrust profiles. The simulation utilized equations derived from established thermodynamic principles, accounting for factors such as pressure, mass flow rate, and thrust. Results indicated significant uncertainties, particularly in pressure calculations, due to the compressibility of air, leading to potential inaccuracies in thrust predictions. The air propulsion system's performance was compared with various commercially available rocket motors, highlighting its impressive total impulse despite uncertainties. Ultimately, the project concluded that solid model rocket motors are more suitable for the mission's current scope, with future work focusing on motor selection and thrust vector control for enhanced landing precision. The codebase for the simulation is available online.
This content was originally posted on my projects website here. The above summary was made by the Kagi Summarizer