For liquid bipropellant rocket engines, the thrust is generated by the combustion of two separate propellants (typically a liquid fuel and a liquid oxidizer) in a combustion chamber. The mass flow rate of the propellants, combustion efficiency, and other factors influence the specific impulse.
To calculate the specific impulse for a specific liquid bipropellant rocket engine, you would need specific data on thrust, burn time, and the mass of propellant consumed during the burn. These values can be obtained from engine tests, simulations, or design specifications.
Liquid bipropellant rocket engines are commonly used in various space missions due to their controllability and performance. The specific impulse for a particular engine design can vary based on factors such as propellant choice, combustion efficiency, and overall design parameters.
It is defined as the thrust generated per unit of propellant expended and is expressed in seconds.
where,
- is the specific impulse of the rocket engine (in seconds, s)
- F is the Thrust Produced
- ṁ is the mass flow rate of propellant in KG/Sec
- g0 is the acceleration due to gravity