Characterization and Evaluation of High Energy Hydrocarbon Additives for Paraffin-Fuel Hybrid Rockets

Abstract

Highly strained hydrocarbons called ivyanes are evaluated as a potential additive to boost the burn rate and I sp for liquefying paraffin hybrid rockets. Ivyanes, which consist of cyclopropane rings bonded together, were first prepared in 2011 and have promise as a High Energy Density Material (HEDM) for propulsion and combustion applications. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) measurements were carried out on samples of ivyane and an ivyane-paraffin blend to measure phase changes and thermal stability. Quantum chemistry calculations were carried out using the G3MP2//B3LYP method to predict heats of formation and combustion for gas phase ivyanes. For validation purposes, calculations were also carried out for normal alkanes. Chemical equilibrium analysis was used to estimate the performance of ivyanes relative to paraffin for typical rocket engine scenarios. In addition, thermochemical properties of some plausible chemically modified ivyanes were modeled determine if they would improve rocket engine performance.

Densities and Viscosities for the Ternary System of Cyclopropanemethanol (1) + n-Dodecane (2) + Butylcyclohexane (3) and Corresponding Binaries at T = 293.15–343.15 K

“…9 Since the high strain energy from the cyclopropyl rings can probably promote the combustion of fuel, cyclopropanemethanol becomes a potential fuel additive, which is able to improve the combustion performance without reducing the volumetric energy content of fuel. 10 The addition of additives into the fuel can alter the fundamental physical properties of fuel. These properties are related not only to the physical storage and transportation of fuel but also to its chemical combustion performance.…”

“…Cyclopropanemethanol, an alcohol with a three-membered ring, has a higher density than those frequently used alcohol additives in biodiesel fuels, such as methanol, butanol, and so on . Since the high strain energy from the cyclopropyl rings can probably promote the combustion of fuel, cyclopropanemethanol becomes a potential fuel additive, which is able to improve the combustion performance without reducing the volumetric energy content of fuel …”

Enthalpy of formation of 6-phenyl-1,5-diazabicyclo[3.1.0]hexane by combustion calorimetry and theoretical approach for efficient prediction of thermochemistry of diaziridines

“…4), which has found use as a liquid hydrocarbon fuel. 82,83 As can be seen in Fig. 4, the replacement of cyclopropane rings in syntin by diaziridine leads to a very…”

“…Polycyclopropanated compounds have promise as a high energy density material (HEDM) for propulsion and combustion applications. [81][82][83] One of these compounds is 1-methyl-1,2-dicyclopropylcyclopropane, also known as syntin (Fig. 4), which has found use as a liquid hydrocarbon fuel.…”

“…The simplicity of synthesis is also of great importance, because it reduces the cost of manufacture. Although the organic synthesis of polycyclopropanated compounds is challenging and the production of syntin was discontinued because it was too expensive, 82 the new recently proposed method for obtaining polycyclopropanes by biosynthesis 84 allows us to expect that even such hypothetical diaziridine derivatives as shown in Fig. 4, can be obtained and used in applications from various fields.…”