Propulsion (redirected from actuation)

Propulsion

The process of causing a body to move by exerting a force against it. Propulsion is based on the reaction principle, stated qualitatively in Newton's third law, that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. A quantitative description of the propulsive force exerted on a body is given by Newton's second law, which states that the force applied to any body is equal to the rate of change of momentum of that body, and is exerted in the same direction as the momentum change.

In the case of a vehicle moving in a fluid medium, such as an airplane or a ship, the required change in momentum is generally produced by changing the velocity of the fluid (air or water) passing through the propulsive device or engine. In other cases, such as that of a rocket-propelled vehicle, the propulsion system must be capable of operating without the presence of a fluid medium; that is, it must be able to operate in the vacuum of space. The required momentum change is then produced by using up some of the propulsive device's own mass, which is called the propellant. See Aerodynamic force

The two terms most generally used to describe propulsion efficiency are thrust specific fuel consumption for engines using the ambient fluid (air or water), and specific impulse for engines which carry all propulsive media on board. See Specific fuel consumption, Specific impulse

The energy source for most propulsion devices is the heat generated by the combustion of exothermic chemical mixtures composed of a fuel and an oxidizer. An air-breathing chemical propulsion system generally uses a hydrocarbon such as coal, oil, gasoline, or kerosine as the fuel, and atmospheric air as the oxidizer. A non-air-breathing engine, such as a rocket, almost always utilizes propellents that also provide the energy source by their own combustion.

Where nuclear energy is the source of propulsive power, the heat developed by nuclear fission in a reactor is transferred to a working fluid, which either passes through a turbine to drive the propulsive element such as a propeller, or serves as the propellant itself. Nuclear-powered ships and submarines are accepted forms of transportation. See Turbine propulsion