In article ,
Oren Tirosh wrote:
How about mixing some liquid catalyst into the peroxide feed for a few
seconds until there is stable self-sustaining combustion in the
chamber?

This is a minor variant of the "hypergolic starting slug" approach.

No hazardous materials.

Depends on what catalyst you're using. Even permanganates are not exactly
mother's milk, and things like TEA are definitely hazardous.

Restartable and reusable.

Subject to the need for yet another fluid system, with the added
complexity that entails.

The catalyst is mixed into the peroxide just before injection into the
chamber. This cannot be done safely with a fuel but catalytic
decomposition is slow enought to give some time for mixing.

I have real doubts about that part of the idea. Catalystic decomposition
will not be slow with high-concentration peroxide and an effective liquid
catalyst mixed well together. Mixing *in* the chamber sounds both better
and safer.
--
MOST launched 30 June; first light, 29 July; 5arcsec | Henry Spencer
pointing, 10 Sept; first science, early Oct; all well. |