Curtis Enlow
Well-Known Member
I am doing a nose cone mod, cutting off the blown-in shock cord ring/bulkhead (which has a vent hole, BTW) and installing a bulkhead & U-bolt. As I was fitting the bulkhead I realized I would be capturing relatively dense air in the sealed nose cone at a density altitude of -1,116 feet (I'm at 72ft. alt, 42F, 30.12in/HG, 42F Dew point right now).
On a warm, sunny day the air inside could expand considerably, and then again, especially with a couple thousand feet altitude gain, at launch. So, I figured a vent hole might be a good idea to equalize the area, as there would be a lot of pressure behind the 1/8" ply bulkhead even before the forces of deployment.
Do any of you normally do this? What about fin can/MMT areas that might otherwise get sealed in? Has anyone ever had an issue with over-pressure in a sealed area or blow-out failures after repeated cycles of launching?
Thanks!
C
On a warm, sunny day the air inside could expand considerably, and then again, especially with a couple thousand feet altitude gain, at launch. So, I figured a vent hole might be a good idea to equalize the area, as there would be a lot of pressure behind the 1/8" ply bulkhead even before the forces of deployment.
Do any of you normally do this? What about fin can/MMT areas that might otherwise get sealed in? Has anyone ever had an issue with over-pressure in a sealed area or blow-out failures after repeated cycles of launching?
Thanks!
C