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Lithium as fuel
I wonder why it is not in more common use.
It is liquid at a low temp (I think around 200 C) and gives the electron off more easily than H. It should also have good bulk density. The molecular weight is pretty low. Zoltan |
#2
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Lithium as fuel
In article ,
Zoltan Szakaly wrote: It is liquid at a low temp (I think around 200 C) and gives the electron off more easily than H. It should also have good bulk density. The molecular weight is pretty low. It's intensely corrosive. Its very high surface tension complicates injector design badly. And LOX is not a good oxidizer for it; what you really want is fluorine, which adds its own nasty complications. The performance has never been worth the trouble. -- MOST launched 1015 EDT 30 June, separated 1046, | Henry Spencer first ground-station pass 1651, all nominal! | |
#3
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Lithium as fuel
Henry Spencer wrote:
It is liquid at a low temp (I think around 200 C) and gives the electron off more easily than H. It should also have good bulk density. The molecular weight is pretty low. It's intensely corrosive. Its very high surface tension complicates injector design badly. And LOX is not a good oxidizer for it; what you really want is fluorine, which adds its own nasty complications. The performance has never been worth the trouble. It's really expensive, too. Interesting fact: lithium dissolves in ammonia, and at the right ratio the solution has a melting point below the boiling point of liquid oxygen. Paul |
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