Hydrogen Peroxide Hybrid Rocket Research Articles

Effect of High-Mass Fraction of Aluminum on Catalytic Hybrid Rocket Motor

Catalytic hybrid rocket motors using hydrogen peroxide (HP) are easy and efficient to achieve multiple starts and stops, and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) grains are commonly used due to their excellent mechanical properties. The low regression rate of HTPB grains limits the application of hybrid rocket motors. Furthermore, the addition of solid aluminum particles can effectively improve the regression rate and performance of hybrid rocket motors. However, the experimental results of a high mass fraction of aluminum and hydrogen peroxide available at present are not sufficient. In this research, the impact of a high mass fraction of aluminum on the motor performance and ablation rate of nozzles is studied experimentally. A solution of 95% hydrogen peroxide and HTPB with an aluminum additive are adopted as propellants. The variation in the axial regression rate of the grains is obtained by computed tomography (CT) scans and pre-test parameter measurements. The instantaneous regression rate method is adopted to obtain the real-time regression rate of the motor. The surface appearance and composition of the front and the end of the grains after the tests are analyzed by electron microscopy. Carbon ceramic and tungsten-bronze nozzles are used to explore the effect of a high mass fraction of aluminum on nozzle ablation. The experimental results show that the addition of aluminum raises the specific impulse and decreases the optimal oxygen-to-fuel ratio of the propellant combination. The high mass fraction of the aluminum particles has a severe ablative effect on carbon ceramic nozzles, while the effect on tungsten-bronze nozzles is minimal for a hot test lasting four to five seconds. Our results can provide experimental guidance for the application of a high mass fraction of aluminum and hydrogen peroxide hybrid rocket motor.

Direct Ignition of a High Performance Hydrogen Peroxide Hybrid Rocket with 3-D Printed Fuel

Development of a high-performing hybrid rocket system that employs 90% hydrogen peroxide and 3-D printable thermoplastic materials is reported. Traditionally, high-grade peroxide has been employed as a monopropellant using noble-metal catalysts to initiate thermal decomposition. Catbeds beds are expensive, heavy, and contribute no propulsive mass to the system. Catbeds exhibit limited operational lifetimes, and are often rendered inactive due to the high temperatures of thermal decomposition.

Design of Multiport Grain with Hydrogen Peroxide Hybrid Rocket

A high length-to-diameter ratio of a rocket leads to unstable flight performance, affects structural loads, and makes a high dry mass of the rocket with a diameter constraint. To improve the volumetric efficiency of the fuel, a multiport design with optimum ratio was considered by adjusting the number of ports and diameter while decreasing the length. To optimize the ratio, the final port diameter was predicted, and the arrangement of the ports to prevent the merging of the ports was considered. The length of the fuel content was reduced to 30% when the number of ports was 14, compared with the single-port fuel. The experimental result showed a slight decrease in the ratio with the increased number of ports and reduced length of fuel at the same oxidizer mass flow rate, and the characteristic velocity efficiency increased. Peak-to-peak pressure amplitude in the prechamber was calculated to compare the effect on the amplitude of the multiport fuels. The application of the simple cylindrical multiport design reduces the length-to-diameter ratio of the hybrid thruster and improves rocket combustion performance.

High-performing hydrogen peroxide hybrid rocket with 3-D printed and extruded ABS fuel

High-performing hydrogen peroxide hybrid rocket with 3-D printed and extruded ABS fuel

Numerical and experimental analysis of heat transfer in injector plate of hydrogen peroxide hybrid rocket motor

This paper is aimed to analyze heat transfer in injector plate of hydrogen peroxide hybrid rocket motor by two-dimensional axisymmetric numerical simulations and full-scale firing tests. Long-time working, which is an advantage of hybrid rocket motor over conventional solid rocket motor, puts forward new challenges for thermal protection. Thermal environments of full-scale hybrid rocket motors designed for long-time firing tests are studied through steady-state coupled numerical simulations of flow field and heat transfer in chamber head. The motor adopts 98% hydrogen peroxide (98HP) oxidizer and hydroxyl-terminated poly-butadiene (HTPB) based fuel as the propellants. Simulation results reveal that flowing liquid 98HP in head oxidizer chamber could cool the injector plate of the motor. The cooling of 98HP is similar to the regenerative cooling in liquid rocket engines. However, the temperature of the 98HP in periphery portion of the head oxidizer chamber is higher than its boiling point. In order to prevent the liquid 98HP from unexpected decomposition, a thermal protection method for chamber head utilizing silica-phenolics annular insulating board is proposed. The simulation results show that the annular insulating board could effectively decrease the temperature of the 98HP in head oxidizer chamber. Besides, the thermal protection method for long-time working hydrogen peroxide hybrid rocket motor is verified through full-scale firing tests. The ablation of the insulating board in oxygen-rich environment is also analyzed.

96/05246 Fate of metal ions in a brown coal during pyrolysis at low temperatures

This paper is aimed to analyze heat transfer in injector plate of hydrogen peroxide hybrid rocket motor by two-dimensional axisymmetric numerical simulations and full-scale firing tests. Long-time working, which is an advantage of hybrid rocket motor over conventional solid rocket motor, puts forward new challenges for thermal protection. Thermal environments of full-scale hybrid rocket motors designed for long-time firing tests are studied through steady-state coupled numerical simulations of flow field and heat transfer in chamber head. The motor adopts 98% hydrogen peroxide (98HP) oxidizer and hydroxyl-terminated poly-butadiene (HTPB) based fuel as the propellants. Simulation results reveal that flowing liquid 98HP in head oxidizer chamber could cool the injector plate of the motor. The cooling of 98HP is similar to the regenerative cooling in liquid rocket engines. However, the temperature of the 98HP in periphery portion of the head oxidizer chamber is higher than its boiling point. In order to prevent the liquid 98HP from unexpected decomposition, a thermal protection method for chamber head utilizing silica-phenolics annular insulating board is proposed. The simulation results show that the annular insulating board could effectively decrease the temperature of the 98HP in head oxidizer chamber. Besides, the thermal protection method for long-time working hydrogen peroxide hybrid rocket motor is verified through full-scale firing tests. The ablation of the insulating board in oxygen-rich environment is also analyzed.