Characterization of solid fuel mass-burning enhancement utilizing an X-ray translucent hybrid rocket motor

Brian Evans, Nicholas A. Favorito, Eric Boyer, Kenneth K. Kuo

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

The addition of nano-sized energetic materials, such as aluminum and boron, has been shown to increase the mass-burning rates of solid fuels. Previous results showed that the addition of 13 wt% Silberline® aluminum flakes to HTPB-based solid fuels increased linear regression rates by as much as 60%. When similar fuel formulations were tested in a larger (~3 times the port diameter) hybrid rocket motor the measured regression rates were nearly identical to those of pure HTPB solid fuels. SEM/EDS analysis was conducted to indicate the reason behind this phenomenon. In contrast, the addition of the same wt% of Silberline® flakes to paraffin-based solid fuels does show a significant increase (~30%) over baseline paraffin solid fuels. The differences in particle entrainment mechanisms for these two types of fuels were attributed to the trend of burning-rate augmentation. Waterfall analyses of pressure-time signals were utilized to study the inherent low-frequency instability of hybrid rockets. Comparisons are made to a universal frequency-scaling formula proposed in the literature, showing agreement to within 25%. To understand the instantaneous mass-burning behavior, a real-time X-ray radiography system is utilized to image the solid fuel surface during combustion testing. Results for both HTPB-based and paraffin-based solid fuel formulations are described. Traditionally, average solid fuel regression rates are correlated to the average oxidizer mass flux by a power-law curve fit. However, instantaneous fuel surface burning behavior does not exhibit the power-law behavior when correlated to the instantaneous oxidizer mass flux.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationAdvancements in Energetic Materials and Chemical Propulsion
Pages705-724
Number of pages20
StatePublished - 2005
Event6th International Symposium on Special Topics in Chemical Propulsion: Advancements in Energetic Materials and Chemical Propulsion, ISICP 2006 - Santiago, Chile
Duration: Mar 8 2005Mar 11 2005

Publication series

NameAdvancements in Energetic Materials and Chemical Propulsion

Other

Other6th International Symposium on Special Topics in Chemical Propulsion: Advancements in Energetic Materials and Chemical Propulsion, ISICP 2006
Country/TerritoryChile
CitySantiago
Period3/8/053/11/05

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Materials Chemistry

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