RT Journal Article ID 14f50051508c8480 A1 Mordosky, J. W. A1 Zhang, Baoqi A1 Harting, George C. A1 Tepper, Frederick A1 Kaledin, L. A. T1 COMBUSTION OF GELLED RP-1 PROPELLANT WITH ALEX® PARTICLES IN GASEOUS OXYGEN ATOMIZED SPRAYS JF International Journal of Energetic Materials and Chemical Propulsion JO IJEMCP YR 2002 FD 2002-01-01 VO 5 IS 1-6 SP 206 OP 218 K1 aluminized gelled propellant K1 ultra-fine aluminum powders K1 c* efficiency K1 spray combustion K1 Alex® K1 RP-1 gel propellants AB Combustion tests of gaseous oxygen atomized sprays of gelled RP-1 propellant with ultra-fine aluminum powder (Alex® powder) were performed in a rocket engine. The addition of aluminum particles to gelled RP-1 propellant has the potential to significantly increase the heat of reaction over RP-1 alone due to the high volumetric energy release of the aluminum. Previous studies of gelled RP-1 propellant with aluminum have yielded low combustion efficiencies. This may have been the result of incomplete combustion due to the aluminum particles being too large. Alex® particles with an average size of 100 nm are formed by exploding aluminum wires. The use of these nano-sized particles can, theoretically, lead to more complete combustion, and thus, lead to performance increases such as higher flame temperature, increased specific impulse, and greater c* combustion efficiency. The gel propellants were introduced through a coaxial injector and gaseous oxygen was used to atomize the gel. The engine operating conditions were as follows: chamber pressures ranging from 1−2.8 MPa (150−400 psia), gel propellant mass flow rates ranging from 8−40 g/s, gaseous oxygen mass flow rates ranging from 14−27 g/s, and O/F ratios ranging from 0.5−3.1. The percentage of Alex® particles in the gelled RP-1 propellant ranged from 0−55% by weight. The c* combustion efficiency was found to range from 70−99%. Test results indicate that the addition of Alex® particles to gelled RP-1 propellant increases not only the density specific impulse, but also the c* combustion efficiency over gelled non-aluminized RP-1 propellant. Results show that among the three formulations, the 5-wt% Alex gel appears to be the best in terms of range of c* efficiencies and the least data scatter. PB Begell House LK https://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/17bbb47e377ce023,76f8e14974df93a8,14f50051508c8480.html