Steam rocket

Rocket propelled by superheated water. The super heated water instantly flashes into steam when it exits from the nozzle into the atmosphere creating extra thrust.

http://www.aquarius-aerospace.de/

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• rocket
• action
• science

[Alexpaths]

Hi, I'm Alex. I am a undergraduate aerospace engineer from CalPoly SLO, USA. I am currently designing a steam rocket as a side project partly due to me stumbling on the aquarius website a while back. However I do have questions.

How do retain the water before firing? How much air or steam expansion space do you leave in the tank?

[jensjacob]

Hi Alex. I'm sorry to say that I have no practical experience with steam rockets. My only knowledge is theoretical and comes from the net and friends with similar interests.

I have been thinking about making a steam rocket too but have never gotten around to it.

To answer your questions, I can only state how I would do myself, which may be far from optimal given my lack of experience.

Anyway, properly warned, I'll be happy to share my thoughts.

[jensjacob]

...Retaining the water before firing, I would make a strong tank with an electronically activated nozzle allowing for a safe release of the superheated water.

Of steam expansion space I would actually leave next to no space. As little as possible. I don't see what good such a space would do. But then again, I may well be wrong.

[jensjacob]

...It appears to me that it is the tank that is the critical component here. It needs to hold a pressure of 100+ bars at a temp. of 350 deg. celcius. The temperature alone excludes the use of aluminum I think - ordinary alu. anyway.

I guess I would go for a well insulated steeltank with a built in electrical heatingelement, at least 2 temp. gauges and a pressure sensor as well so temp. and pressure can be monitored remotely and reliably during heating.

[jensjacob]

...All of this of course needs to work reliably with the high temperature and pressure.

Steam rockets are quite powerfull and carrying the extra weight of a well dimensioned electrical heating element and some insulation should be no problem.

Well, just my 5 cents.

Good luck.

And take care.

JJ

[FIREHAWK1979]

I.d like to bolt this on the tail end of a hang glider... I wonder if you could heat the water at the point of exit like those special taps that eliminate the need for a geyser... maybe with a blow torch?

[bobosharkey]

Anyone wanting to see the world's coolest steam rocket check out Mech-Sci.com

[TRONhack3r]

germans are cool



[niflap]

There are waterproof explosives I believe. How about this: rather than slowly heating the water & subjecting the reservoir to prolonged high pressure & thermal stress, how about inserting a waterproof pyrotech into it, which you can touch off electronically? The ignition can introduce high pressure gas into the reaction chamber, & flash-heat the water into steam @ the same time. Nothing is subject to any great stress until it's converted directly into thrust.

[Pujc]

@Cloakedsphere or maybie the moment at the roket was go emty

[catman529outdoors]

@Cloakedsphere broke your caps lock key too... jk

[iceblader95]

wo war das?

[Zappyguy111]

SO MANY AWESOME THINGS TO DO

[Cloakedsphere]

holy shit it broke the sound baRRIER

[datzfast]

this would be great at air shows