Advanced Chemical Rocket Propellants: On the Way from Theory to Hardware

Abstract

In the first part of the paper the realm of chemical High Energy Propellants is outlined. Theoretical performances of such systems are discussed, comprizing metal-combustion with and without the concept of ’Chemical Heating of Hydrogen’. A survey of the means for the technical realization of such systems is given, including gels, slurries, dust-combustion, etc., with major emphasis, however, upon hybrid and tribrid rocket engines and their peculiarities as they have shown up during the experimental work with such engines at the DVL during recent years.

The second part describes the experimental efforts to get rid of the various shortcomings of metal-combustion. These efforts include the search for new and better materials compatible with the very hot and very corrosive environment of high-energy propellant combustion chambers and the geometrical optimisation of oxidizer-injection, fuel-grains, mixing chambers, etc., along with research on binder materials suitable of improving the combustion efficiency of metallized fuels. At the present state of the art experimental performances closely approaching 100% of theory have been reached with certain hybrid and tribrid systems.