The specific impulse is a measure of the efficiency of a rocket engine in converting propellant mass into thrust.
For a methane rocket engine, the combustion typically involves methane (CH4) and oxygen (O2), producing carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) as products. The chemical equation for the combustion of methane is:
CH4+2O2→CO2+2H2O
The total mass of propellant consumed (ṁ) is the sum of the masses of methane and oxygen consumed during the burn.
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