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The History of the Delaware Nozzle Revealed: How does ancient and modern technology intertwine with the legend of the rocket engine?
With the continuous advancement of space exploration technology, the design and efficiency of rocket engines have attracted more and more attention. Among many key technologies, the Delaval nozzle stands out and becomes the core element of the propulsion system. How did this nozzle evolve from early experiments in fluid dynamics to shape our current understanding of rocket launches?
Initial exploration of fluid mechanics
The development of Delaval nozzles stems from the history of fluid dynamics. As early as the beginning of the 18th century, the Italian scientist Giovanni Battista Venturi designed the famous Venturi tube. This device allows fluids to conduct pressure reduction experiments during the flow process, presenting the Venturi diagram. The secret of the inside effect.
The design of the nozzle not only affects the efficiency of the propulsion system, but also deepens our understanding of mechanical principles.
Technological evolution and the birth of the De Laval nozzle
In the 19th century, German engineer Ernst Kolting is widely regarded as the pioneer who introduced shrink-expanding nozzle technology into steam jet pumps. However, it was Swedish engineer Gustav de Laval who really perfected its design. The nozzle design he introduced in 1888 is an important component of today's rocket engines. The shrinking-expanding nozzle proposed by De Laval not only improves the energy conversion efficiency, but also plays a key role in increasing the engine thrust.
How rocket engines work
The working principle of the Delaval nozzle is based on the characteristics of gas flow at subsonic, sonic and supersonic speeds. Inside the nozzle, the gas enters at subsonic speed and gradually accelerates as the channel shrinks. When the gas reaches the minimum cross-section, that is, the throat of the nozzle, the speed reaches the speed of sound, which is called "choked flow".
In the expanded part of the nozzle, the gas expands further to form a supersonic flow. At this time, the sound wave cannot propagate in the reverse direction.
Key operating conditions
In order for the De Laval nozzle to function properly and form a stable supersonic flow, the input gas pressure must be higher than the ambient pressure. In addition, the gas outlet pressure at the expanded end of the nozzle must also be properly controlled to prevent flow instability or wall separation from affecting engine performance. For example, the ambient pressure must be within 2 to 3 times the supersonic gas outlet pressure to ensure effective output of propulsion.
Data analysis of gas flow
There are a number of assumptions and concepts that need to be considered during gas flow within the Delaval nozzle. It is assumed that the gas is an ideal gas and the flow process is isentropic, that is, there is no friction and no heat entering and exiting the system. In addition, gases behave as compressible flows at high velocities, which means that differences in flow conditions affect the efficiency of propulsion.
Propulsion system and mass flow rate
Mass flow in the propulsion system remains consistent throughout the nozzle. As shown by Newton's third law, mass flow rate directly affects the thrust of the gas. In engineering implementation, reasonable setting of mass flow rate is crucial to the performance of rocket engines. This makes precise nozzle design an important challenge for engineers.
Possibility of future applications
As nozzle technology improves and innovates, future research should focus on how to further improve fuel efficiency, enhance the stability of the propulsion system, and expand the potential applications of de Laval nozzles in other fields, such as hypersonic vehicles and space Launch system, etc.
The history of Delaval nozzles is not only the epitome of technological progress, but also the history of human exploration of unknown challenges. In the future, how will this technology affect our exploration boundaries, and even transcend existing technological boundaries?
