Earl Colby Pottinger wrote:

Craig Fink :

Earl Colby Pottinger wrote:

John Cramer's latest breakthru is adding an alcohol to 50% peroxide to
make a cheap, easy to handle, easy to buy mono-propellant for his
rockets.

Does anyone know more about this combination or other cheap fuel
combinations? Notice I don't consider LOX to be cheap. In large bulk
quanties it may be, but for small amounts the handling equipment costs
alot. (Frozen valves anybody?)

I remember there was an oxidizer made by dissolving a solid oxidizer in
water, what happened to that?

Also there was a hybrid rocket that had a catalyst (in? part of? was
the?)
fuel so all you did was open/close the valve for peroxide and it
auto-started. You got the simple design of a mono-propellant engine but
the performance of a hybrid, not to mention a very high DensityISP. Has
there been any more developent on that?




In URL http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/SSC/H2O2CONF/PStokes.htm


"Another fatality now occurred when a trial was undertaken by a Dr.
Wahmke in attempting to pre-mix hydrogen peroxide and alcohol upstream of
the chamber. The intention had been use as a 'monergol' propellant,
combining oxidant and fuel, but it resulted in a feed tank detonation. "


I guess John knows how to do it better than Dr Wahmke.

Craig Fink

One thing that matters is the percentages, mix 3 percent peroxide with any
amount of fuel and it will not explode there is just too much water. Mix
8 units of 99% peroxide with 1 unit of 99% alcohol and you will an
explosive you will not dare sneezing in the same room.

John is using 40% and 50% peroxide with very little alcohol. He so far
has
not had any problems. And while this mix and more powerful version of it
interest me, that is not what I am asking.

50% peroxide is cheap and has relatively few regulations about it's
handling
or shipping. High purity alcohols that can not be drunk also are cheap
and easy to handle/ship.

What I am asking is "Are there any other combinations out there that are
cheap, easy to handle and ship, have few regulations controlling them?"


Yeah, I agree, the difference being that water is the moderator that
reduces it's explosive potential. Sounds like someone needs to do a study
to see where the limits are, so that you won't step over the line like Dr
Wahmke. Hydrogen peroxide seems to be one of the most useful and studied
molecules around. I wouldn't be suprised if someone hasn't already done
such a simple study to figure out where the limits are.

It really sounds like a great monopropellent, potentially very safe and
environmentally friendly (green) too. Clean up with plenty of water.

Craig Fink