Rocket engine component reference

The Meco Rocket Simulator is a sophisticated rocket engine simulation system that models complex fluid systems, thermodynamics, and mechanical components. This document provides a summary overview of all available components that can be defined in JSON configuration files and loaded by the simulator.

Component Categories

The simulator organizes components into six main categories:

Category	ID	Components	Description	Details
NODE	1	6 types	Junction points in the fluid system	View Details
BRANCH	2	4 types	Connections between nodes (pipes, ducts, valves)	View Details
MACHINERY	3	3 types	Rotating machinery (pumps, turbines)	View Details
TRANSMISSION	4	2 types	Power transmission components (shafts, gears)	View Details
SOLID	5	1 type	Heat transfer solid components	View Details
CONTROL_PARAMETER	6	2 types	Control system parameters	View Details

Quick Reference

Nodes (Details)

Junction points where fluid branches connect:

NodeInlet / NodeOutlet - Boundary conditions for liquid systems
NodeGasInlet / NodeGasInternal - Boundary and internal junctions for gas systems
NodeInternal - Internal liquid system junctions
NodeGasGenerator - Combustion chamber modeling

Branches (Details)

Flow connections between nodes:

Branch - Standard liquid flow with optional fittings
BranchGas - Gas flow (no fittings)
BranchValve / BranchGasValve - Controllable valves for liquid/gas

Machinery (Details)

Rotating equipment for energy transfer:

MachineryPump - Centrifugal pumps with detailed geometry
MachineryTurbine - Gas turbines with complex aerodynamic modeling
MachineryNonDynamic - Non-rotating inertial components

Transmission (Details)

Power transfer components:

Shaft - Rotating shafts connecting machinery
Gear - Speed/torque conversion gearing

Solids (Details)

Heat transfer modeling:

Solid - Heat transfer through solid materials (chamber walls, cooling channels)

Control Parameters (Details)

Dynamic system control:

ControlParameter - Constant control values
ControlParameterTransition - Time-varying control with smooth transitions

JSON Structure Example

A typical model JSON file has the following structure:

{
  "name": "Engine Name",
  "timestamp": 1749821274169,
  "model": {
    "nodes": [ /* Node definitions */ ],
    "branches": [ /* Branch definitions */ ],
    "transmissions": [ /* Transmission definitions */ ],
    "machineries": [ /* Machinery definitions */ ],
    "control_parameters": [ /* Control parameter definitions */ ],
    "solids": [ /* Solid definitions */ ]
  }
}

Component Interaction

The components work together to form a complete rocket engine model:

Nodes define connection points and boundary conditions
Branches connect nodes to create flow paths
Shafts connect rotating machinery
Machinery adds/extracts energy from the flow
Solids model thermal effects
Control Parameters enable dynamic operation

Usage Guidelines

Naming: All components must have unique names within their category
Dependencies: Nodes must be defined before branches that reference them
Connections: Shafts must be defined before machinery that references them
Timing: Control parameters are applied after all physical components are created
Units: The simulator uses SI units throughout (meters, kilograms, seconds, Kelvin)
Fluids: Gas mixtures like "O2_H2" represent oxidizer-fuel combinations for combustion modeling

Getting Started

For detailed information on each component type, see the individual component pages:

Nodes - Start here for fluid system connection points
Branches - Flow connections and piping systems
Machinery - Pumps, turbines, and rotating equipment
Transmission - Shafts and gears for power transfer
Solids - Heat transfer and thermal analysis
Control Parameters - Dynamic control and operation