A review of the performance and structural considerations of paraffin wax hybrid rocket fuels with additives

Veale, Kirsty L.; Adali, Sarp; Pitot, Jean; Brooks, Michael J.

doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2017.10.012

Cited by 68 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Aluminum particles also increases the regression rate by the release of energy during metal oxidation. In addition, aluminum Nano-particle gives higher combustion efficiencies, better heat transfer, and a reduced ignition delay and burn time [23]. On the other hand, boron has taken interest from many researchers due to higher volumetric heat release than aluminum, but its use is limited due to its difficulty with ignition which can lead to low combustion efficiencies [22] According to [10], boron is a very attractive material in terms of energy density and burning rate.…”

Section: -2mentioning

confidence: 99%

Ballistic test investigation of hybrid rocket motor utilizing stearic acid biofuel with energetic additives for regression rate enhancement

Ahmad

Jagannathan

Abidin

et al. 2021

AIP Conference Proceedings

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This research evaluates a novel composition based on Stearic Acid (SA) wax fuel, enriched with aluminium and carbon nanotubes (CNT) for hybrid propulsion system by carrying out a ballistic test. Benchmarking the aluminium doped hybrid fuel with the SA wax fuel, the former reveal lesser viscosity which leads to relatively improved entrainment-aided combustion. In contrast to the pure SA fuel, fine aluminium powder doped hybrid fuels show solid-like behavior, and hence greater stability in the solid phase. The loading of ultrafine aluminium powder substantially improves the efficacy of fuel regression during ballistic firing.

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Section: -2mentioning

confidence: 99%

Ballistic test investigation of hybrid rocket motor utilizing stearic acid biofuel with energetic additives for regression rate enhancement

Ahmad

Jagannathan

Abidin

et al. 2021

AIP Conference Proceedings

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“…Current liquefying fuels offer low mechanical properties. Typical mechanical properties reinforcement techniques yield a reduction of the entrainment effect due to the augmented viscosity of the melted fuel layer [10][11][12][13][14]19]. Recent efforts proposed innovative reinforcing strategies exerting minor effects on the liquid phase viscosity such as self-disintegrating structures [64], as well as the use of three-dimensional (3D) printed cellular structures [65,66].…”

Section: Fundamentals Of Solid Fuel Combustion Processmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Data sampling extended until the end of the combustion (depending on visualization quality). Diameter sampling was performed with the maximum possible frequency (5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20) Hz under the investigated conditions, with higher frequencies in the earlier phases of the burning process). During the combustion, central port diameter was sampled along different radial directions (depending on combustion uniformity).…”

Section: Time-resolved Regression Ratementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Different studies are currently ongoing to obtain reinforced fuel grains combining ballistic and mechanical properties. Paraffin wax blending with reinforcing polymers is a strategy to achieve this purpose [9][10][11][12][13][14]. The improved mechanical properties of the blended formulations are accompanied by increased viscosity of the melted phase; this lessens the entrainment mass transfer, thus decreasing r f and .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nano-Sized and Mechanically Activated Composites: Perspectives for Enhanced Mass Burning Rate in Aluminized Solid Fuels for Hybrid Rocket Propulsion

Paravan

2019

Aerospace

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This work provides a lab-scale investigation of the ballistics of solid fuel formulations based on hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene and loaded with Al-based energetic additives. Tested metal-based fillers span from micron- to nano-sized powders and include oxidizer-containing fuel-rich composites. The latter are obtained by chemical and mechanical processes providing reduced diffusion distance between Al and the oxidizing species source. A thorough pre-burning characterization of the additives is performed. The combustion behaviors of the tested formulations are analyzed considering the solid fuel regression rate and the mass burning rate as the main parameters of interest. A non-metallized formulation is taken as baseline for the relative grading of the tested fuels. Instantaneous and time-average regression rate data are determined by an optical time-resolved technique. The ballistic responses of the fuels are analyzed together with high-speed visualizations of the regressing surface. The fuel formulation loaded with 10 wt.% nano-sized aluminum (ALEX-100) shows a mass burning rate enhancement over the baseline of 55% ± 11% for an oxygen mass flux of 325 ± 20 kg/(m2∙s), but this performance increase nearly disappears as combustion proceeds. Captured high-speed images of the regressing surface show the critical issue of aggregation affecting the ALEX-100-loaded formulation and hindering the metal combustion. The oxidizer-containing composite additives promote metal ignition and (partial) burning in the oxidizer-lean region of the reacting boundary layer. Fuels loaded with 10 wt.% fluoropolymer-coated nano-Al show mass burning rate enhancement over the baseline >40% for oxygen mass flux in the range 325 to 155 kg/(m2∙s). The regression rate data of the fuel composition loaded with nano-sized Al-ammonium perchlorate composite show similar results. In these formulations, the oxidizer content in the fuel grain is <2 wt.%, but it plays a key role in performance enhancement thanks to the reduced metal–oxidizer diffusion distance. Formulations loaded with mechanically activated ALEX-100–polytetrafluoroethylene composites show mass burning rate increases up to 140% ± 20% with metal mass fractions of 30%. This performance is achieved with the fluoropolymer mass fraction in the additive of 45%.

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“…Fuel grains were designed based on literature values and also taking in account limits of available 3D printers [28]. Preliminary tests were carried out with ABS fuel grains to analyze integrity of fuel grains and thrust.…”

Section: Testingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Small-Scale Static Fire Tests of 3D Printing Hybrid Rocket Fuel Grains Produced from Different Materials

McFarland

Antunes

2019

Aerospace

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The last decade has seen an almost exponential increase in the number of rocket launches for sounding missions or for delivering payloads into low Earth orbits. The emergence of new technologies like rapid prototyping, including 3D printing, is changing the approach to rocket motor design. This project conducted a series of small-scale static fire tests of fused deposition manufacturing hybrid rocket motors that were designed to explore the performance of a variety of commonly available fused deposition manufacturing materials. These materials included acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, acrylonitrile styrene acrylate, polylactic acid (PLA), polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate glycol, Nylon, and AL (PLA with aluminum particles). To test the performance of small-scale fuel grains, a modular apparatus with a range of sensors fitted to it was designed and manufactured. The small-scale testing performed static burns on two fuel grains of each material with initial dimensions of 100 mm long and 20 mm in diameter with a 6 mm straight circular combustion port. The focus of this study was mainly on the regression rates of each material of fuel grains. Acrylonitrile styrene acrylate and Nylon showed the highest regression rates, while the polyethylene terephthalate glycol regression rates were relatively poor. Also, the acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and acrylonitrile styrene acrylate demonstrating relatively high regression rates when compared to existing hybrid fuels like hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene.

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A review of the performance and structural considerations of paraffin wax hybrid rocket fuels with additives

Cited by 68 publications

References 39 publications

Ballistic test investigation of hybrid rocket motor utilizing stearic acid biofuel with energetic additives for regression rate enhancement

Ballistic test investigation of hybrid rocket motor utilizing stearic acid biofuel with energetic additives for regression rate enhancement

Nano-Sized and Mechanically Activated Composites: Perspectives for Enhanced Mass Burning Rate in Aluminized Solid Fuels for Hybrid Rocket Propulsion

Small-Scale Static Fire Tests of 3D Printing Hybrid Rocket Fuel Grains Produced from Different Materials

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