COMPUTATIONAL FLIGHT PREDICTION FOR MINI PET ROCKETS, APPLIED TO REFORESTATION

Abstract

This work refers to modeling and computer simulation of PET mini-rockets with air and water propulsion and focuses on the development of a computer program for flight prediction of water- and air-propelled mini-rockets.  The specific objectives of this work were: design and construction of a wind tunnel; experimental acquisition of the drag coefficients of mini-rockets in a wind tunnel; construction of launch bases for mini-rockets for the validation of the flight prediction computer program; mini-rocket projects and development of a computer program for mini-rocket flight prediction.  The methodology began with the design and assembly of a wind tunnel to determine the drag coefficient of the mini-rockets.  A mini-rocket launch base with water and air propulsion was developed, built and used. The thrust values of several mini-rockets were determined experimentally on a bench while keeping the mini-rocket fixed.  Image and video analysis were performed in the bench test with the determination of the water flow at the exit of the rocket nozzle and determination of the thrust profile of the mini-rockets (PET 2 liters).  The modeling and simulation of the flight prediction were developed from two systems of differential equations, based on the equations of conservation of mass and momentum, which were solved by the Runge Kutta numerical method. It was necessary to solve two systems of nonlinear differential equations, one for the Propulsion Phase and the other for the oblique launch. The computer program has data input defined by the user and that generates the various outputs in matrix format or in the format of figures.  The simulation of the mini-rocket's flight prediction resulted in figures containing the most important flight parameters. The results of the computer program were validated through the field launches of the mini-rockets and it was found that it is an important tool for the design of mini-rockets intended for the reforestation of degraded areas.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56238/sevened2024.039-014