Solid fuels, oxidizers from "summary" of The Science and Design of the Hybrid Rocket Engine by Richard M Newlands
The use of solid fuels and oxidizers in rocket engines is an important part of the aerospace industry. Combining these two elements helps to provide powerful propulsion in order to reach great speeds and can be used to launch spacecrafts into space.- Oxidizers are chemical compounds that serve to provide oxygen atoms during combustion for a solid rocket in order to facilitate the reaction between the fuel and the oxidizer.
- Solid fuels are combustion materials that are comprised of a solid substance, and when they are burned in an oxidizer, it enables the combustion to proceed at high temperatures reliably and sustainably.
- Depending on what type of oxidizer is used, the reaction rate of a hybrid rocket engine can be greatly affected.
- In contrast to liquid-propellant rocket engines, solid-fuel rockets produce greater amounts of thrust in steady and reliable increments as long as there is fuel present.
- One popular oxidizer is nitrogen tetroxide, which can increase the energy output by nearly 30%, however it is considered one of the more hazardous options.
- Ultimately, the proper selection of a combustible and oxidizer material combination is critical in developing an efficient, safe, and effective operational run time.
- Conversely, ammonium dinitramide can also work as an oxidizer however much of its effectiveness depends upon conditions such as grain size, degree of compaction, reactants concentrations, etc.
- Hydrogen peroxide can also be used to oxidize metals like iron and aluminum but this usually requires soaking the metal beforehand in a potassium nitrate solution, known as a catalyst bath.
