TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS AND GASDYNAMIC EFFICIENCY OF THRUST VECTOR CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR ROCKET MISSILES

 Saša Živković

Apstract:

The paper emphasizes the importance and applications of directional thrust vector control systems. Their increasing presence, advantages and disadvantages of their usage, have been analyzed, in some examples, when they are inevitable. The systems classification is conducted in regard to the function, i.e. working principle, for rocket motor type propulsors. For each system type working principles, description of basic exploitation characteristics and some applications are given. Characteristic gas flow processes are described for each system type, and based on them qualitative evaluations for gas dynamic efficiency of the flow processes are given. In the last part of the work the examination of the geometry flow domain influence, of thrust vector control system with nozzle tab, on the system performances: side force and thrust losses are presented. Experimental results are given for four geometry parameters most influential on the system performances. Using those results, optimization of the flow domain geometry can be conducted and also performances of this system can be directly determined.

Key words: rocket missile, rocket motor, rocket control, thrust vector, thrust vector control, side force, nozzle tab, gas dynamics,  experimental results.