To: SRR99
Please tell me if your books can tell you if it is possible to expell this high velocity gas from a rocket engine or a gas turbine engine that is open at both ends. On a gas turbine engine I am speaking about the combuster can(s) and on the rocket engine I am speaking about the upper end of the engine combuster not being there. In order to expell the gasses, the gasses must be generated in some sort of container that will allow pressure to build up. Once again I don't disagree with what you are saying as it is the expulsion of a large mass of hot gasses that make these engines work. My point is with out the front end of the combustor there would be nothing to allow the creation of the high pressure and high velocity gasses in the first place.
For every action ther is an equal and opposite reaction. The hot gasses flow out and the pressure differential works against the forward wall and is transfered to the attaching structure. Whatever is attached to that structure is caused to move. The amount of work that is done is pressure times surface area. Getting back to the previous posting, because pressure is exerted at 90 degrees to the containing vessel some of the force cancels out the forward motion. All of these elements must be factored in to determine how much useful force is actually developed.
By the way, I was a techrep on the Atlas for three years and I worked as a project engineer on the Saturn SIV-B at Douglas and NASA MSFC for six and a half years, and no I am not a rocket scientist.
------------------
The Cat
[This message has been edited by Lu Zuckerman (edited 29 October 2000).]
[This message has been edited by Lu Zuckerman (edited 29 October 2000).]