Question 3.12: A classic example of an accelerating control volume is a roc...

A classic example of an accelerating control volume is a rocket moving straight up, as in Fig. E3.12. Let the initial mass be M_{0}, and assume a steady exhaust mass flow \dot{m} and exhaust velocity V_{e}relative to the rocket, as shown. If the flow pattern within the rocket motor is steady and air drag is neglected, derive the differential equation of vertical rocket motion V(t) and integrate using the initial condition V = 0 at t =0.

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The appropriate control volume in Fig. E3.12 encloses the rocket, cuts through the exit jet, and accelerates upward at rocket speed V(t). The z momentum equation (3.49)
\sum{F}=\int_{CV}^{}{a_{rel}dm }=\frac{d}{dt}\left(\int_{CV}^{}{V\rho dv} \right)+\int_{CS}^{}{V\rho (V_{r}\cdot n )dA}
becomes
\sum{F_{x} }-\int{a_{rel} dm}= \frac{d}{dt}\left(\int_{CV}^{w d\dot{m} }{} \right)+(\dot{m}w )_{e}
or -mg-m\frac{dV}{dt}=0+\dot{m}(-V_{e})  with   m=m(t)=M_{0}-\dot{m}t
The term a_{rel}= dV/dt of the rocket. The control volume integral vanishes because of the steady rocket flow conditions. Separate the variables and integrate, assuming V =0 at t =0:
\int^{v}_{0}dV=\dot{m}V_{e}\int^{t}_{0}\frac{dt}{M_{0}-\dot{m}t }-g\int^{t}_{0}dt         or           V(t)=-V_{e} ln(1-\frac{\dot{mt} }{M_{0} } )-gt
This is a classic approximate formula in rocket dynamics. The first term is positive and, if the fuel mass burned is a large fraction of initial mass, the final rocket velocity can exceed V_{e}

r.12

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