A SIMPLIFIED APPROACH TO EROSIVE BURNING
Chim. (Russ), 13, 738 (1939); Acta Physi-
cochimica U. R. S.S., 10, 365 (1939).
10. PENNER, S. S.: J. Appl. Phys., 19, 278, 392,
511 (1948).
11. HUGGET, C.: Combustion processes. Eds. G.
LEWIS, R. N. PEASE, H. S. TAYLOR (High
Speed Aerodynamics and Jet Propulsion, Vol.
2), p. 514. Princeton University Press,
Princeton, New Jersey, 1956.
12. PLIUKHIN, B. I.: Doklady Acad. Nauk S.
S. S. R., 129, No. 5 (1959); Trudy Mosc. Phys.
Techn. Inst., No. 5 (1960); Doklady Acad.
Nauk S. S. S. R., 13I, No. 1 (1960) ; Doklady
Acad. Nauk S. S. S. R., in print.
13. BELYAEV, A. F.: Zhur. Phys. Chim. (Russ),
79
A SIMPLIFIED APPROACH TO EROSIVE BURNING
By PAUL J. BLATZ
Introduction
Experimental data on the erosive burning of
several composite solid propellants have been
reported and discussed by L. Green. 1In this paper
Green assumes that the effect of erosion upon the
burning rate at constant pressure is linearly pro-
portional to the mass flow rate in the channel and
inversely proportional to the H-ratio (port-to-
throat) of the channel and correlates his data on
this basis. The existence of an apparent "thresh-
old velocity for erosion" is acknowledged, but no
satisfactory explanation is given.
In a subsequent report, 2 E. W. Price presents
an algebraic solution to the problem of one-
dimensional, steady-state, adiabatic flow of a
perfect gas in a constant area channel with mass
addition, with the dimensionless mass flow as an
independent variable. Numerical computations of
the properties of the flow field are presented for
the case in which the effect of erosion upon the
burning rate at constant pressure is assumed
linearly proportional to the gas velocity and inde-
pendent of the H-ratio of the channel.
The common feature of these two cited papers
is that no direct method is given for determining
the proportionality constant of erosion. Trial and
error method is used in both cases to adjust this
constant to the data. The reason for this, of
745
12, 93 (1938); Doklady Acad. Nauk
S. S. S. R., 24, 253 (1939); Zhur. Phys.
Chim., 14, 1009 (1940).
14. ANDREEV, K. K.: Experimental investiga-
tions on combustion of explosives (Russ).
Collected works on the theory of explosives,
Editors ANDREEV, K. K., AND KHARITON,
YU. B.
15. ARISTOVA, Z. I., AND LEIPUNSKY, O. I.:
Doklady Acad. Nauk S. S. S. R., 56, 507
(1946).
16. RICE, O. K., AND (~INELL, R.: J. Phys. and
Coll. Chem., 54, 885 (1950).
17. PARR, G. G., AND CRAWFORD, t~. L., JR.: J.
Phys. and Coll. Chem., 54, 929 (1950).
course, lies in the transcendental nature of the
flow relations. It is possible, however, to arrive
at an explicit relation for the erosion constant, on
the basis of an excellent analytical approxima-
tion. The primary purpose of this memo is to
introduce this approximation and show how the
erosion constant may be rapidly calculated
directly from experimental data.
A secondary purpose of this memo is to recast
the aerodynamic relations of the flow field at the
channel-nozzle juncture in terms of the port-to-
throat ratio and to discuss the linfitations of the
steady-state assumption which apply a t a given
port-to-throat ratio. A phenomenological relation
between the erosion constant and the port-to-
throat ratio is presented.
Theory
A complete discussion of the theory of one-
dimensional flow with mass addition requires an
analysis of two flow fields, one in the channel
which is adding mass, the other in the deLaval
nozzle, as well as a definition of the contiguity of
flow at the channel-nozzle juncture.
CHANNEL FLOW
Because of the pressure drop in the channel,
there is a decrease in the burning rate of the pro-
746 EROSIVE BURNING: SOLID PROPELLANTS

pellant in the direction of increasing mass flow. O(pu,~R~) + O(pu ~R~) +

Simultaneously, there is an increase in the erosion at Oz Oz (4)
of the propellant in the direction of increasing
mass flow. These two effects combine to produce ~-0.

a nonuniform burning rate and associated non- Now introduce the assumption of steady-state
uniform channel periphery along the flow axis. flow and remove the restriction of circular sym-
It is assumed that, at time zero, the channel is metry by replacing ~-R~/At by H and 27rR~/At
uniform, i.e., no taper. by K/L. The new equations are:
Consider now a differential mass of gas con-
rk
tained within an element of distance along the d(pu) dG pp
- - (5)
flow axis dz(O < z < L) and bounded by a dz dz HL
circular" channel wall of radius R~ :
pu ~ ~ Pg~ = P~ qo, a constant. (6)
dm= plrR~ dz. (1)
NOZZLE FLOW
The rate at which the channel radius increases
with time is: For flow in the nozzle, a differential mass
dm = pA~ dz is considered. From mass and mo-
OR, (0Roy.
- r ~ / 1 + \ Oz] (2)
mentum balances follow (steady-state assumed
Ot forthwith) :

The factor d(puAn) __ d~Ir, _ 0 (7)

dz dz
(0R y
/1 "-k \ Oz ] d(pu ~ + P g c ) A , p dA, (8)
is the secant of the angle between the flow axis dz =- gc-Ez
and the tangent to the channel wall at point z and puAn = Mn = C,~ At P,~. (9)
corrects for the variation in radius along the flow
axis; at time zero it is equal to unity. In order to In Equation (9) the constancy of mass flow has
use Equation (2), it is necessary to determine the been expressed in terms of the throat area and
pressure distribution and associated burning rate stagnation pressure, which is constant everywhere
in the channel at time zero (steady-state assumed in the nozzle. This is not true in the channel,
from time zero). The flow is then assumed to be where the stagnation pressure decreases in the
a continuous sequence of steady-states. Initially, direction of increasing mass flow because of an
at zero time from which steady-state flow is as- entropy increase associated with the mass addi-
sumed to apply, the burning rate is expressed by tion.
r, but at later times must be expressed by
CONTIGUITY OF FLOW
There are three relations common to channel
flow and nozzle flow:
The following equations will be written simply in u2 "yRT~( T)
terms of initial conditions, i.e., OR~/oz = 0, and ~-gc- (7:~)M 1 ---~ or (10)
therefore will only be applied to data obtained
under such conditions)
From mass and momentum balances follow: u = as (1 - x) (10a)

a(p~rR~) a(puR~) where

- - Jr - pp r2~R~ (3)
Ot Oz x = T/T~
The assumption of circular symmetry is un- 2 go 7RT~
as --
necessary, but is used to simplify the nonsteady M
analysis. It is removed after the steady-state
assumption is introduced. P _x~/~-l=(p) ~
b In analyzing the data, it is assumed that this
(11)
ps
condition obtains after the pressure rise due to
ignition is over, thus defining zero-time. P M = pRT. (1.2)
 A SIMPLIFIED APPROACH TO EROSIVE BURNING 747

1.0

0.8

0.6

0.4"

O.Z

0.1
0.08

0.06
\\ \
0.04
\
0,02-
\ \\ \
0.0/
\
\ \
0.0O8
\ \
\ \
0.OO6
\ \

\
0,004
\
\
\
\
o, oo2
6 7 <9 9 / o

H
FZG. 1. Pressure functions at the channel-nozzle juncture in terms of the port-to-throat area ratio

I n the nozzle where M,~ is constant and sonic function with a minimum at x, = 2/(3" + 1). For
velocity obtains at the throat, it follows further x, < 2/(7 + 1),A,~/At > 1, and the flow is
that: supersonic. For 1 > x, > 2/(3" + 1), A,~/At again
> 1, and the flow is subsonic. This difference
A~ = C~a. (13) is extremely important for it implies that on
At 2 the down-stream side of the throat the value of
gc 3"Xl/~-l ~///~__ 1 ( 1 - - x) x must be within 10 per cent of unity, because
2/(3' + 1) is 0.909 for 3" = 1.2. This means the
Equation (13) is an algebraic expression for a temperature drops much less than 10 per cent in
748 EROSIVE BURNING: SOLID PROPELLANTS

5.0

Z.O

J
I,o
O.9 .J

J
0,8
k'
O.7
O.b

O.S /
0.4

0.3
/
0.2

03
t.o
/ /./ /.,~ /.3 /.'9 /.$" /.6 /.7

FIG. 2. Relation between erosion constants

the channel, and is the basis for an excellent an- r = aP~(1 + k'G/GL)
alytical approximation.
At the channel-nozzle juncture the tempera- = aP'~(1 + ]cG/HG~),
ture is directly determined by H, so that (14)
if k'H is independent of H,
A~_ H = aPn(1 + kG/G,).
At
Cw a~ (13a) The integral of (5a) from 0 to L becomes:
/
dG (15)
gc'yX~/(~-J) ~ / ~ (1 -- XL) P~--- = foa~aP'(i + k'G/GL)"
For H > 2, xL is within 1 per cent of unity. Multiply both sides of (15) by aP~, a constant,
From Equation (5) it follows that: to obtain:
dz H dG pp aP~K _ faL (po/p)~ dG
- (sa)
L ppK r H .Io (1 + k'G/G~
An expression for the burning rate is intro- - k' -2o d in
duced :
 A SIMPLIFIED APPROACH TO EROSIVE BURNING 749

Io

4-

2 i\
c\
k'
\
I

05

~a

0.4
(
)
O

0.2

0o!
o.t 0.2 0.4. 0.6 0.8 hO 2.0 4.0 6~

H
FIG. 3. Blatz erosion constant versus H

Equation (15a) is identical with (9) of the sup-
plement of reference 2.
Making use of (6), we introduce (10a), (11)
and (12), which hold also in the channel, to
obtain:
basis of this approximation is merely the bi-
nomial theorem and the mean value theorem for
integrals. We now have:
Pv a P g K _ ( P o y / 2 eL ln(1 d-/c') (15b)

[ 2 ~ ( 1 -- x ) l (16) and
Po=P 1+ (~_l)xj.
GL H = ~ , ~ / A t = c~ p ~ , (17)
Note that, for 3, = 1.2, x = .99, the correction
term is only 12 per cent, and when Po/P is raised so that
to the n TM power, for n = 0.5, the correction term pvaP~K ~ P 0 ~ n / ~ l n ( l d- k')
is only 6 per cent as shown by application of the C~ P ~ - \ P L / k' (15c)
binomial theorem. Thus the factor (Po/P) ~ which
lies between 1 and (Po/PL) '~ may be excellently Equation (15c) determines P0 in terms of H, k',
approximated by (Po/PL) n/2. The analytical Cw and K. These, together with Equation (2),
750 EROSIVE BURNING: SOLID PROPELLANTS

Io
8

/)
/
/
k

C
0
(
1
l

o~
c o ) o
o,6 o

0.2

0,1
0,I 0.2 0.~ o,$ o~9 /.o 2~o 4.0 £0 8,O IO.O

H
FzG. 4. Green erosion constant versus H

may be used to reduce data from a pressure-time where

curve at given initial K and H ratios and for Po - 1 ~_27,1 ( - - xL) (16a)
known pp, Cw, a and n.
PL (7 - 1)x~
In actual practice engineers calculate the cham-
ber pressure simply as: and

P(¢~7o~) = app K / C ~ . (18) Po _ [ 2V(1 y- xL)] (16b)

p~. x~/(~-~) 1 + (v _ 1)x~ /
From (15o) the maximum pressure Pm~x = Po
and xL is determined by (13a).
is seen to be:
The easily deternfined experimental quantity
Pm~,:/Pc~lo is given by:

p(ml~xn) __ Cw ~ (15d) P~G~) Po/P~,~

- (19)
ln(1 d - M ) ( P o ~ ~n Pc~,o ln(1 - ~ - k ' ) [ P o ~ ~/2
lc' \~/
 A SIMPLIFIED APPROACH TO EROSIVE BURNING 751

TABLE 1. EXPERIMENTAL DATA FROM 60°E ~/[OTOR FIRINOS WITH A POLYURETHANE

PROPELLANT

Pmax Po Po p,o~/~ k'H=k

Pcalc PL Psn Pcalc PL

0.57 8.03 1.38~ 1. 0066 1. 0035 1.1502 1.0019 1.149 0.312 2. 510
0.57 2.03 1.51( 1.115 1.0530 1.1939 1.0315 1.170 0. 360 0. 731
0.57 1.54 1.74 1.215 1. 092 1.269 1.0571 1.228 0.410 0. 631
0.57 8.03 1.45 1. 0066 1. 0035 1.1732 1.0019 1.172 0. 362 2.910
0.57 4.46 1.34 1. 0215 1. 0105 1.134 1.0061 1.129 0. 275 1. 226
0.57 2.96 1.49 1.050 1. 0243 1.187 1.0140 1.177 0. 372 1.100
0.57 2.03 1.99 1.115 1. 053 1.344 1.0315 1.317 0. 690 1. 400
0.57 1.55 2.18 1.215 1.092 1.398 1.0571 1.353 0. 780 1. 210
0.57 2.48 1.40 1.073 1. 0343 1.1556 1.0202 1.141 0.295 0. 732
0.57 1.73 1.63,~ 1.150 1.072 1.2355 1.0393 1.198 0.417 0. 722
0.57 1.24 1.921 1. 380 1. 145 1.3255 1.0962 1.268 O. 572 0. 709
0.57 1.05 2.38 1. 720 1.215 1.452 1.1671 1.395 0. 880 0.924
0.57 0.58 3.29 2.20 1.240 1.669 1.252 1.685 1.60 0.928
0.57 0.79 2.93 2.20 1. 240 1.588 1.603 1.38 1.090

1.10

so t h a t : Aeroplex propellants for which Green: d e t e r m i n e d

values of 0.8.

Summary
ln(1 + k')
A simplified expression ( E q u a t i o n 20) is pre-
sented for rapid d e t e r m i n a t i o n of a n erosion con-
Po~I~ \~/ (20) s t a n t k from zero-time s t e a d y - s t a t e m o t o r firings
Po/P~ o b t a i n e d a t various p o r t - t o - t h r o a t ratios. Appli-
cation of this m e t h o d to d a t a o b t a i n e d on a poly-
u r e t h a n e propellant shows t h a t k is c o n s t a n t a t
1.10 up to H = 3, b e y o n d which it increases
linearly with H.
T h e a p p r o x i m a t i o n in (20) is introduced via
(16a), (16b) a n d the binomial theorem, a n d Nomenclature
should n o t be used for H < 2.0. Ac cross-sectional area of channel, in. 2
I n Figure 1, t h e functions Po/P~ a n d Po/ Am cross-sectional area of nozzle, in. 2
P ~ are plotted versus H. These curves m a y be At t h r o a t area, in. ~
used along with t h e experimental values of a b u r n i n g rate constant, in. :'~+1 sec -1 lbf -~
a, s t a g n a t i o n sound velocity, in. sec -1
Pm~,:/Po~lo to calculate/c as a function of H. T h e
C~ nozzle flow coefficient
graphical relation between k' a n d /c is given in
G mass flow rate per u n i t cross-section of chan-
Figure 2. nel area, lbm in. -2 sec -I
I n Figures 3 a n d 4 a n d T a b l e 1, d a t a o b t a i n e d GL mass flow rate per u n i t channel area at end
on a p o l y u r e t h a n e propellant are plotted in t e r m s of channel, lbm in. -~ sec -1
of k' a n d k. N o t e t h a t k p decreases roughly g~ conversion factor 32.17 Ibm slug -1
linearly on log - log p a p e r to its " t h r e s h o l d " -/ specific heat ratio
value of 0.3 a t a p o r t - t o - t h r o a t ratio of 3; b e y o n d H p o r t - t o - t h r o a t area ratio
this it is p r e s u m a b l y i n d e p e n d e n t of H (as shown K propellant b u r n i n g - t o - t h r o a t area ratio
b y d a t a u p to H = 8). T h e k ' H = k p r o d u c t is k Green erosion c o n s t a n t
k' Blatz erosion c o n s t a n t
roughly c o n s t a n t u p to H = 3, t h e linear average
L length of flow channel, in.
value being 1.10. T h u s t h e d a t a clearly show t h a t
~r mass flow rate in channel, lbm sec -~
this p o l y u r e t h a n e propellant a n d p r e s u m a b l y all 21~. mass flow rate in nozzle, lbm sec -~
p o l y u r e t h a n e propellants are more erosive t h a n n logarithmic pressure exponent
752 EROSIVE BURNING: SOLID PROPELLANTS
P dynamic gas pressure in channel, lbf in. -2
P .... experimentally determined value of P0
P0 streamline gas pressure in channel, lbf in. -2
P~ s t a g n a t i o n gas pressure in channel, lbf in. -2
P~ s t a g n a t i o n gas pressure in nozzle, lbf in. -2
p combustion gas density, lbm in. -3
pp propellant density, lbm in. -3
p~ s t a g n a t i o n gas density, lbm in. -3
R gas c o n s t a n t , 1544 ft-lbf lb-mole -~ °R -~
Re radius of circular channel wall, in.
r propellant b u r n i n g rate, in. sec -~
T gas t e m p e r a t u r e , °R
T~ s t a g n a t i o n gas t e m p e r a t u r e , °R
t time, sec
u gas velocity, in. sec -~
z distance along the flow axis of t h e channel,
measured from s t a g n a t i o n end, in.
SUBSCRIPTS
c channel
L end of channel, nozzle-channel j u n c t u r e
n nozzle
s stagnation
t throat
. throat
REFERENCES
1. GREEN, L., JR.: Jet Propulsion, 24, 9 (1954).
2. PlaICE, E. W. : Jet Propulsion, 25, 61 (1955).
DISCUSSION BY J. S. BILLHEIMER
Dr. P. J. Blatz has assembled the differential
equations which represent combustion gas flow
in a one-dimensional channel. The b u r n i n g rate of
t h e channel boundaries is governed by the local
gas pressure and the mass velocity. The work of
Dr. Blatz is an extension of the work of Price and
Green, however, it does not make use of the local
b o u n d a r y a b l a t i v e concept of erosive b u r n i n g
proposed b y Lenoir and Robillard. a The a b l a t i o n
concept, of Lenoir and Robillard avoids the con-
troversial p o r t - t o - t h r o a t area ratio relation. I t is
necessary to avoid this controversial relationship
to obtain satisfactory results with realistic rocket
motor designs combining aft-end burning, flared
exit, and tapered bore grain features.
The heat balance between the gas stream and
the propellant surface at any given point in the
flow channel depends upon the Reynolds n u m b e r
at t h a t point. The erosive b u r n i n g rate then can
be determined from the h e a t balance. I n t e g r a t i n g
the a m o u n t of gas generated axially along the flow
p a t h from fore end to nozzle t h r o a t results in a
a Lenoir, J. M., and Robillard, G.: Sixth Sym-
posium (International) on Combustion, p. 663.
Reinhold Publishing Corporation, New York,
1957.
pressure-time curve. The difference in pressure
between the r e s u l t a n t pressure-time curve and
the geometrical curve w i t h o u t erosive b u r n i n g at
a time i m m e d i a t e l y after ignition is called the
erosive pressure peak. In practice, this difference
depends on the p o r t - t o - t h r o a t area ratio; however,
the difference decays rapidly and becomes in-
significant when the original port area is doubled.
Local flow conditions at a given point in t h e
bore of the grain depend upon the pressure drop
in the section and the turbulence caused b y up-
s t r e a m flow. Local flow conditions are not affected
b y downstream flow except t h a t local static pres-
sure is influenced by s t a g n a t i o n pressure and r a t e
of t o t a l mass flow to the nozzle t h r o a t . F o r this
reason, it is not logical to assmne t h a t the erosive
b u r n i n g c o n s t a n t is related to the p o r t - t o - t h r o a t
area ratio in a differential or local element sense.
Considering the v a r i e t y of bore and plenum cham-
ber design combinations of actual rocket motors,
a confusing relationship can be expected between
the erosive pressure peak and the p o r t - t o - t h r o a t
area ratio.
The approximations used by Dr. Blatz to illus-
t r a t e the analytical relationships of interior bal-
listics arc highly i n s t r u c t i v e of the functional
relationships, and effectively valid for c o n s t a n t
bore and p o r t - t o - t h r o a t ratio conditions greater
t h a n 2:1. With f u r t h e r terms of t h e binomial
expansion t h e y can be made as accurate as neces-
sary. A l t h o u g h the existing d a t a reviewed b y
Blatz did not w a r r a n t it, the precision of design
required in current ballistic missiles and the
severe volumetric loading a t t e m p t e d , places t h e
gas flow in the conditions t h a t additional t e r m s
are required and the applicability of t h e simplified
expression is marginal. Similar a t t e m p t s to ob-
tain a simplified expression for erosive pressure
peaks h a v e been made by R. D. Geckler ~ and again
the problem arises: under conditions sufficiently
severe t h a t the erosive b u r n i n g p h e n o m e n a are
experimentally distinct, the simplified expressions
are of marginal validity, and thus t h e r e is re-
quired either extremely precise m e a s u r e m e n t s
beyond t h e scope of conventional stop-fire or
ballistic analysis, or c o m p u t a t i o n b y more elabo-
rate means in nonsimple situations in which the
physical magnitude of the effects is magnified.
The l a t t e r p a t h has been chosen in the work at
Aerojet so t h a t the same d a t a reduction m e t h o d
can be extended to all rocket motors, no m a t t e r
how severe the design conditions.
I t is concluded t h a t , a l t h o u g h the individual
differential equations of the grain surface regres-
sion and propellant gas dynamics can be w r i t t e n
easily, it is not possible to i n t e g r a t e t h e m in a
single expression for direct evaluation of the
b Geckler, R. D.: P r i v a t e communication.
 A SIMPLIFIED APPROACH TO EROSIVE BURNING
erosive b u r n i n g constant. I t is, however, possible
to i n t e g r a t e the i n c r e m e n t a l gas-flow b e h a v i o r of
a specific grain design with the use of high-speed
computer equipment. This is the only practical
solution to the problem of erosive b u r n i n g evalua-
tion. I n this way the confusing effects of indirect
p o r t - t o - t h r o a t area ratios are avoided.
A computer program such as this has been used
successfully at Aerojet-General Corporation for
several years. This program is consistent in erosive
b u r n i n g coefficient correlation when t h e proper
value of the Reynolds n u m b e r is used for t u r b u -
lence criteria, c The radial flow effects are cited
also b y Dickinson et al.,e in t h e i r hydraulic radius
analogy with probe d e t e r m i n a t i o n of axial and
radial erosive-burning distribution. I n view of
these factors, use of E q u a t i o n (20), formulated b y
Dr. Blatz, is not recommended for r o c k e t - m o t o r
d a t a reduction.
DISCUSSION 13Y LEON GREEN, JR.
By introducing the approximations t h a t the
t e m p e r a t u r e ratio x =-T/Ts--~ 1 for subsonic
frictionless flow in a c o n s t a n t - a r e a channel with
mass addition and t h a t the pressure ratio (Po:P)"
in the mass-balance E q u a t i o n (15a) can be as-
signed an average value (Po:PL) "l~, Dr. Blatz
derives an explicit expression b y which an average
erosive-burning c o n s t a n t can be c o m p u t e d from
conventional static t e s t data. However, he cor-
rectly notes t h a t the approximations are invalid
for situations in which t h e p o r t - t o - t h r o a t area
ratio H < 2, a value which corresponds to a regime
of flow M a c h n u m b e r at t h e charge exit of M <
0.3. Dr. Blatz's result is thus equivalent to a n o t h e r
approximate b u t explicit expression for erosion
c o n s t a n t which was previously obtained b y the
c Witcraft, M. G., a n d Billheimer, J. S.: Prac-
tical design relations for erosive b u r n i n g in solid
rocket motors, Aerojet-General C o r p o r a t i o n Re-
port (to be published)
a Dickinson, L. A., Jackson, E., and Odgers,
A . . L.: Eighth Symposi~m (International) on
Combustion, p. 754. The Williams & Wilkins Com-
pany, Baltimore, 1961.
753
writer 1 b y a simple inversion of a familiar design
e q u a t i o n for equilibrium fore-end chamber pres-
s u r e ? The point to be emphasized here is t h a t
n e i t h e r of these simplified expressions is valid for
t h e regime in which erosive b u r n i n g is of greatest
practical importance, i.e., for H < 2 (except,
possibly, for the case of very slow-burning propel-
l a n t s which exhibit erosive effects at moderate
flow velocities), a n d it should be m e n t i o n e d t h a t
the a p p a r e n t l y good agreement with experimental
data at low H - v a l u e shown in Figures 3 and 4 of
the paper resulted from a second-order correction
to the simplified theory. 8
As a minor correction it is noted t h a t the erosion
c o n s t a n t i n t r o d u c e d b y the writer z was defined in
t e r m s of the nondimensional mass-velocity ratio
G:G*, in which
is a function only of propellant composition and
fore-end chamber pressure, a n d did not explicitly
involve t h e H - r a t i o as s t a t e d in the introduction.
ADDITIONAL REFERENCES
1. GREEN, L. JR.: Jet Propulsion, 24, 9 (1954).
2. KERSHNER, R. B.: Rocket Fundamentals, B. L.
CRAWFORD,Editor, The George Washington
University, N.D.R.C. Division 3, Section H.
OSRD No. 3711, J u n e 12, 1944.
3. BLATZ, P. J.: P r i v a t e communication.
AUTHOR'S REPLY
In t h e text of m y paper, it is s t a t e d t h a t for
H < 2, xl is within 1 per cent of unity. This does
not mean t h a t the analytic approximations are
valid only for 1 < H < 2. I t merely means t h a t the
error introduced in the binomial approximation
of E q u a t i o n (15a) is increased. This, however,
can be made as accurate as possible b y carrying
higher terms in the expansion. The v a r i a b i l i t y of
t h e d a t a presented in this p a p e r did not w a r r a n t
the calculation of higher terms a l t h o u g h H fell in
the range of 1 to 2 in some cases.