Experimental Research on Microwave Ignition and Combustion Characteristics of ADN-Based Liquid Propellant

Abstract

Microwave ignition has attracted much attention due to its advantages of reliable ignition, large ignition area and cold-start capability. In this paper, the experimental method is used to explore the ignition ability of the microwave device to ADN-based liquid propellant. Additionally, we discuss the influence of the inlet power and rate of propellant injected into the ignition system on the height of the combustion jet and the combustion temperature. In the experiment, a microwave-assisted ignition system was established based on a special microwave resonant cavity. The liquid propellant and working gas were sprayed into the resonator cavity through the hollow straight tube beneath the resonant cavity. The test results show that the device can ignite the propellant under the condition of 800 W input power, which proves the feasibility of the microwave ignition device for ADN-based liquid propellant. Microwave power has some influence on the flame spray height at the initial stage of combustion. The spray height at 2000 W is increased by 55.7% in comparison to 1000 W. In the stable combustion stage, the input power has a very significant increase in the average temperature of the flame, which is increased by 25%. The combustion is relatively better when the propellant flow rate is 30 mL/min, and the height of the flame spray increases by 25.2%. The increase in throughput did not have a significant impact on the flame temperature.

Research progress on the catalytic and thermal decomposition of ammonium dinitramide (ADN)

“…Although much progress has been achieved these years, the blended ADN monopropellant still suffers from the problem of poor ignition stability due to catalyst deactivation at high temperatures. 41,133 Therefore, studies exploring alternative ignition methods, such as pilot ame igniter ignition, glow plug ignition, microwave controlled ignition, resistive ignition, and laser ignition, would be of great signicance for extending the working life of the engine and improving its operational stability. [134][135][136] In practical applications, utilizing efficient ignition methods can greatly reduce the amount of propellant consumed for preheating while improving the engine's ability to respond to emergencies during that operation.…”

“…37,38 However, the currently developed ADN-based liquid monopropellants generally have low sensitivity because of their high-water content, which requires preheating them to a higher temperature for decomposition, meaning they cannot fulll the requirement of ignition in a short period. [39][40][41] To solve the problems mentioned above, incorporating catalysts with good activity and stability is necessary to enable rapid decomposition and the release of more energy by ADN at lower temperature, substantially enhancing the working efficiency of the thruster.…”

Current Research on Green Ammonia (NH3) as a Potential Vector Energy for Power Storage and Engine Fuels: A Review

“…Be that as it may, the potential of nitrogen derivatives regarding their use as fuels can be understood based on the enormous increase in publications on this subject in recent times. In fact, in addition to the aforementioned nitrogen-based fuels, many others such as aqueous ammonium carbonate [243,244], aqueous ammonium acetate [245], aqueous ammonium carbamate [224], aqueous urea [246][247][248], ammonium perchlorate [249][250][251][252][253], ammonia borane [254][255][256][257][258], dimethylamine borane [259,260] and ammonium dinitramide (ADN) [261][262][263][264] are objects of study.…”