Performance Analysis of a Dual-Fuel Sugar Based Solid Rocket Propellant

The effects of dual-fuel on improving the ballistic efficiency of a low energy sugar-based solid rocket propellant were investigated in this paper. This was achieved by establishing a threshold proportion of sucrose to sorbitol that provided the highest ballistic efficiency, using a beam load cell (model single-point 2,000 kg linearly defined by 0-20 kN force, with ±.005 percent precision). Seven different propellant formulations were prepared, loaded into the rocket motor and tested for performance. The major performance parameters of interest were the thrust, total impulse, burn time, delivered specific impulse, delivered characteristic velocity, and the chamber pressure. The formulations tested were potassium nitrate–sucrose propellant (65% KNO3 and 35% sucrose (C12H22O11)) (KNSU); potassium nitrate-sorbitol propellant (65% KNO3 and 35% sorbitol (C6H14O6)) (KNSB); modified potassium nitrate-sucrose propellant (65% KNO3, 32% sucrose (C12H22O11)), and 3% carbon (C) (MODKNSU); potassium nitrate-sucrose-sorbitol propellant (65% KNO3, 25% sucrose (C12H22O11)), and 10% sorbitol (C6H14O6) (KNERK); potassium nitrate-sucrose-sorbitol-carbon propellant (65% KNO3, 24% sucrose (C12H22O11), 10% sorbitol (C6H14O6), and 1% carbon (C)) (MODKNERK); and finally a propellant made from KNO3, sucrose (C12H22O11), sorbitol (C6H14O6), carbon (C) and iron II oxide(Fe2O3) combinations in 65, 30, 3, 1, 1% proportion respectively. The novel result obtained from these experiments was applied to boost the performance of a KNSB rocket propellant motor during a rocket launch experiment. Both static and dynamic rocket motor internal ballistic parameters were then compared. The measured delivered motor average thrust and the effective propellant burn times were recorded as: (164.15N, 3.97s); (102.95N, 6.53s); (65.66N, 9.38s); (79.09N, 3.77s); (243.98N, 3.77s) and (92.6N, 5.89s) respectively. The MODKNERK, was established to produce a most efficient motor and with the full delivery of its ballistic energy. It was also established, that the ballistic and rocket motor efficiency of a lower energy rocket motor can be improved by starting the ignition of such motor with fast burning dual-fuel rocket propellant (MODKNERK).

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Test Method for Solid Rocket Propellant Specific Impulse Measurements

10.1520/d2508-93r02 ◽

2003 ◽

Author(s):

Keyword(s):

Specific Impulse ◽

Test Method ◽

Solid Rocket Propellant ◽

Rocket Propellant ◽

Solid Rocket

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Test Method for Solid Rocket Propellant Specific Impulse Measurements

10.1520/d2508-93 ◽

1993 ◽

Author(s):

Keyword(s):

Specific Impulse ◽

Test Method ◽

Solid Rocket Propellant ◽

Rocket Propellant ◽

Solid Rocket

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Modelling of the formulated solid rocket propellant characteristics

Global Journal of Engineering and Technology Advances ◽

10.30574/gjeta.2021.6.2.0017 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 061-073

Author(s):

Oyedeko K.F.K ◽

Egwenu S. O.

Keyword(s):

Mathematical Model ◽

Combustion Temperature ◽

Specific Impulse ◽

Combustion Process ◽

General Rule ◽

Combustion Products ◽

Potassium Nitrate ◽

Chamber Pressure ◽

Performance Parameters ◽

Solid Rocket

This study is a mathematical model to obtain the characteristics performance of magnesium metal (powder) and carbon on a potassium nitrate-sucrose (KNSU) solid propellant formulation. Characterization of propellant is, as a general rule, important to determine its performance before it can be suitable for use for a rocket flight or any mission. Method of ballistic load cell evaluation was used to validate results and a mathematical model using the combustion exhaust products was solved to obtain the characteristics performance parameters of the propellant. The carbon constituent which acts as an opacifier and coolant was kept constant at 2% in order to arrest some of the heat during the combustion process and helped to lower the combustion temperature, because high combustion temperature could lead to combustion chamber rupture or failure. The effect of addition of magnesium which was optimized for 3% in the formulation contributed significantly in improving the overall performance of the propellant. The utilization of magnesium in KNSU propellant provided higher values parameters and better performance compared to when not included. This was confirmed with the model equations. The propellant combustion products equation was used to model and obtain the characteristics performance parameters. This gave propellant specific impulse (122.9s), combustion temperature (1821K), heat ratio (1.1592), molecular weight (36.89g/mole), propellant density (1912.5kg/m3) and characteristics velocity (1000m/s) result while maintaining the same chamber pressure.

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Test Method for Solid Rocket Propellant Specific Impulse Measurements

10.1520/d2508 ◽

2003 ◽

Author(s):

Keyword(s):

Specific Impulse ◽

Test Method ◽

Solid Rocket Propellant ◽

Rocket Propellant ◽

Solid Rocket

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History of the development of solid rocket propellant in France

10.2514/6.1993-1785 ◽

1993 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

ALAIN DAVENAS

Keyword(s):

Solid Rocket Propellant ◽

Rocket Propellant ◽

History Of ◽

Solid Rocket

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An analytical and experimental study of a hybrid rocket motor

Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Part G Journal of Aerospace Engineering ◽

10.1177/0954410013519432 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 228 (13) ◽

pp. 2475-2486 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Hadi Rezaei ◽

Mohammad Reza Soltani

Keyword(s):

Flow Rate ◽

Low Cost ◽

Specific Impulse ◽

Combustion Products ◽

Rocket Motor ◽

Chamber Pressure ◽

Hybrid Rocket ◽

Hybrid Rocket Motor ◽

Chemical Propulsion ◽

Rate Case

The hybrid rocket motor is a kind of chemical propulsion system that has been recently given serious attention by various industries and research centers. The relative simplicity, safety and low cost of this motor, in comparison with other chemical propulsion motors, are the most important reasons for such interest. Moreover, throttle-ability and thrust variability on demand are additional advantages of this type of motor. In this paper, the result of an internal ballistic simulation of hybrid rocket motor in a zero-dimensional form is presented. Further to validate the code, an experimental setup was designed and manufactured. The simulation results are compared with the experimental data and good agreement is achieved. The effect of various parameters on the motor performance and on the combustion products is also investigated. It is found that increasing the oxidizer flow rate, increases the pressure and specific impulse of the motor; however, the slope of the specific impulse for the high flow rate case reduces. In addition, by increasing the combustion chamber pressure, the specific impulse is increased considerably. The initial diameter of the fuel port does not have significant effect on the pressure chamber and on the specific impulse. Addition of a percentage of an oxidizer like ammonium perchlorate to the fuel increases the specific impulse linearly.

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