Nozzle Design

By Jon Suzuki

October Sky

What Purpose Do Nozzles

Serve?

a simple device used to control the

characteristics of a fluid as it enters or
exits the nozzle.

What Specifically?

nozzles control
the pressure,
speed, direction,
temperature, and
masss rate of
flow of the fluid.

The Ultimate Goal

to maximize the
kinetic energy of the
fluid by utilizing the
heat and pressure in
the combustion
chamber

The De Laval Nozzle

also known as the convergent-divergent

nozzle

Continue...

developed in 1888 by
Swedish engineer Gustaf
de Laval for steam
turbines.
utilizes the kinetic energy
of the fluid rather than the
pressure of the fluid.
first used in rockets in the
early 1900s by Robert H.
Goddard, the Father of
Modern Rocketry.

Optimum Shape

cone and bell nozzles

small degree cones give a high efficiency
around 95% while larger degree cones offer a
lower efficiency.
bell nozzles give 1-1.5% more efficiency and
can also be shorter and lighter however, difficult
to fabricate therefore, more expensive.

How Do Nozzles Work?

mass, energy, and momentum are

conserved.
p = mv

Continue...

the fluid can be

accelerated faster
than M = 1
because of the
increasing ratio
between the area
of the throat and
the area of the exit

Nozzle Shock

is when the exhaust gases at the exit of

the nozzle fall below speeds of M = 1 due
to the discontinuous ratio of the
atmospheric pressure and the combustion
chamber pressure.

Shock Wave Graphs

Results

if the exits pressure is

too low compared to
the ambient pressure
(low altitudes), the jet
will separate from the
nozzle, which improves
efficiency but causes
instability due to the
overexpanded thrust.

Continue

if the exit pressure is

too high compared to
the ambient pressure
(high altitudes), the
jet will expand past
the nozzle exit
reducing efficiency.

Optimization

to find the one area ratio between the

throat and exit of the nozzle that gives the
best performance at variable altitude and
pressure.

Advanced Nozzles

purpose is to have optimum efficiency

throughout the mission by compensating
for change in altitude resulting change in
ambient pressure.
Expansion - Deflection
Plug Nozzle

More Designs
Aerospike

Stepped Nozzle

Sergei Korolev

developed ballistic
missiles.

Continue...

managed the assembly

of Sputnik
Luna 2
human space flight
(Vostok)

Bibliography
"Sergei Korolev." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 26 July 2013. Web. 25 July 2013.
"Nozzle Design." Nozzle Design. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 July 2013.
"Converging Diverging Nozzle." Converging Diverging Nozzle. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 July 2013.
"Rocket Engine Nozzle." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 07 Sept. 2013. Web. 25 July 2013.
"De Laval Nozzle." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 22 June 2013. Web. 25 July 2013.

"(26) Robert Goddard and His Rockets." Robert Goddard and His Rockets. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 July 2013.