No warranty is implied as to the accuracy and/or reliability of the programs available on this site. The user assumes all risk.
Click Here to download. This is a burn rate simulator for a standard Bates grain solid rocket motor. Instructions for use can be found here http://www.thefintels.com/aer/burnsoftware.htm You'll need to download the installation software to a temporary folder and run the install.exe.
Click Here to download. Hybrid Calculator is a work in progress. I don't have documentation for it, but feel free to download it and play. What is there is all functional, just make sure you enter a number in every text box to prevent crashing the program. Again, download the zip file and extract to a temporary folder, then run install.exe.
Density/Convertor
Here is screen shot of a handy little calculator.
You can convert pounds to grams and grams to pounds with the first two functions. With "Density" you input the grain dimensions and it calculates the propellant density. The last function is Grain "Weight Calculator". Use it to estimate the weight of a grain you intend to cast if you know your propellants density. I use this software all the time when planning a new load in a motor. For this software to work on an OS newer than Windows 98 you will first need to install the motorcalcs software below.
Here's a screen shot of Batch Calculator.
This little program allows you to enter a batch size in grams, then enter the chemical and the % as a decimal, i.e., 65% as .65. The program outputs the weight in grams of each chemical. If you screw up and the chemicals don't equal 100%, the program will warn you.
Click Here to download Batch Calculator.
Here is a screen shot of Kn calculator.
Essential to any motor design is know the Kn of the grain. Kn is the burning surface area of the grain to throat area ratio. This software will calculate the Kn of a Bates grain (ends and cores burning). As long as every grain is at least twice as long as the grain web thickness. You can calculate unequal grain lengths by simply totaling all the grain lengths and dividing by the number of grains.
The results are plotted as initial Kn, then 9 more evenly spaced points during the burn. Web thickness is also reported with each Kn.
Again, for an OS new than Windows 98, you will need to first install the motorcalcs software below.
Click Here to download Kncalc.exe
Motor Calcs
Here is a screen shot of the program.
These tools are the main reason I wanted to write software in the first place. If you're into motor design, you know the hassle of doing the math every time you want to play with a new motor design.
For chamber wall thickness you enter your MEOP (maximum expected operating pressure), the casing diameter, the ultimate tensile strength of the material and the safety factor you desire. The program calculates the minimum wall thickness at the pressure and safety factor you input.
The bulkhead thickness calculator will determine the minimum thickness for a bulkhead with no hole in it. To add a safety factor, you must input a higher MEOP at the start. For example, if you intend to run the motor at 1,000 psi, and you want a safety factor of 2, enter a MEOP of 2,000 psi.
Retaining Pin Diameter Calculator will calculate the minimum pin diameter at your given MEOP. Again, if you want a safety factor you need to enter it as a higher MEOP from the start. Keep in mind, the UTS is for the pins, not the casing material. You enter bulkhead diameter, MEOP, UTS and number of pins. The program calculates the minimum pin diameter and ejection force.
These files are zipped and include a setup program, so you'll need to save the zipped file to a temporary directory, then unzip the files and run setup.exe. Setup will install the necessary files and create start program link you can access from "Start, Programs". This should work on XP, and I think once the setup program has been run, you should have all the files needed to now run the other little programs above.
Click Here to download motorcalcs.zip (3.83 MB)
ConvertAll *Freeware* (2.14 MB) By: Doug Bell
Simply the best, most complete units converter I have found. Converts measurements, pressures, areas, currents, angles, data, mass, energy... it goes on and on. Well worth the having on your desk top. Thanks Mr. Bell!
Rocketry Tools: By Jack Anderson 1.51MB
Very handy set of tools includes; Black Powder Calculator, Parachute Size Calculator, Descent Rate Calculator, Drift Calculator and Units and Measures Conversion. In fact, this set is so handy you may want it on your desktop.
555 Timer Component Selection: 211KB
This little gem will calculate what resistor and capacitor to use in my little 555 deployment timer. Click on the Monostable tab, then click on the seconds in the T units box. For R1, use the maximum of your adjustable pot, (i.e., enter 100 for a 100,000 ohm variable resistor). For the C value, first check the uF in the C units box, then enter the value of the capacitor you plan to use.
The output will be maximum seconds until time out, actual values of electronic components vary some, so the actual time will vary some too. But it will get you very close.
Aerolab 1.3.2 Aerolab version 1.3 is a aerodynamic simulation program, specially intended for estimating drag, lift and stability of rockets at zero angle of attack in the velocity range from 0 to 8 Mach. Aerolab is based on published data from windtunnel experiments and numerical models including empirical and semi empirical methods. System requirements: Windows 95 or Windows NT. Format: Zip file, Size: 950KB.
Thanks Hans for the great software, and for sharing your work. Visit the D.A.R.K. web site at http://www.dark.dk/Menu.html And yes, we do consider ourselves friends of Danish Amateur Rocketry Club.
Disclaimer & Copyright
This program is Copyright (C) 1998 - 2003 by Hans Olaf Toft (hot@vip.cybercity.dk),
All Rights Reserved.
Aerolab is provided as freeware with the following limitations:
Aerolab is freeware for any user that considers himself - or herself - as being a friend of the Danish Amateur
Rocketry Club - DARK. It is not to be resold or distributed for sale with other programs which are for sale. The
author offers no warranty of its fitness for any purpose whatsoever, and accepts no liability whatsoever for any
loss or damage incurred by its use. Furthermore, Aerolab may not be used for commercial purposes - it is a tool
for the amateur rocketry community only.
Aerolab is not a supported product. The author accepts no commitment or liability to address any problems that
may be encountered in using it. However, further development and improvements are planned, and as such, the author
is always interested to hear about any (major) bugs or deficiencies.
VisualGPS Using the NMEA serial protocol, VisualGPS graphically depicts various parameters found in the most common NMEA sentences. VisualGPS will also graphically show the wondering of SA (Selective Availability) found in GPS receivers. VisualGPS also allows logging and replay of data.