Performance Evaluation of Boron/Hydroxyl-Terminated Polybutadiene-Based Solid Fuels Containing Activated Charcoal

Abstract

Numerous researches have been conducted on boron-based fuels and propellants due to the attractive theoretical energy potential of boron. However, sustained energy production during combustion of a boron-based fuel/propellant is still uncertain because efficient burning of boron is challenging. The present paper deals with various boron-loaded polymeric fuels, where activated charcoal (AC) is introduced as a burning enhancer for application in hybrid fuel ducted rocket. The solid fuel samples are tested with the help of a classical screening tool, which is known as opposed flow burner (OFB) or stagnation flow burner. Opposed flow burner is run with oxygen mass flux between 20 and . The fuel is evaluated on the basis of major performance parameters, such as regression rate, species formation during combustion using a spectrometer, residual active ingredients in postcombustion product using standard material characterization techniques, etc. The major outcome is evaluated from thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), where active residual boron is found to be around 6% only in postcombustion product for the fuel sample containing B and AC in equal proportion. Opposed flow burner helps in reducing the time and cost of research involving expensive fine fuel ingredients, and also facilitates to identify optimum fuel formulations for hybrid gas generator in ducted rocket applications.