Water as an oxidant?

The following small item appeared in the Feb, 1967 (V9,N2) issue of
"Spaceflight":

"United Technology Center scientists have announced the successful
test-firing of a small rocket motor which uses water as an oxidant in
conjunction with a solid fuel. Combustion occurs instantaneouslywhen
water is sprayed into the hollow core of the solid fuel grain.
Chemicals in the fuel react violently with the water, generating
4000°F gases which are expelled through a nozzle to produce thrust.
Composition of the fuel is being kept secret."

Is the composition still secret almost 40 years later? Does anyone
have any thoughts on what elements this solid fuel would have to
have?

I half suspect that the water is acting as a catalyst/working fluid
and not as an oxidizer.

Jim Davis

(Hugh) wrote in message ...
On 19 Apr 2004 01:04:37 GMT, Jim Davis
wrote:

The following small item appeared in the Feb, 1967 (V9,N2) issue of
"Spaceflight":

"United Technology Center scientists have announced the successful
test-firing of a small rocket motor which uses water as an oxidant in
conjunction with a solid fuel. Combustion occurs instantaneouslywhen
water is sprayed into the hollow core of the solid fuel grain.
Chemicals in the fuel react violently with the water, generating
4000°F gases which are expelled through a nozzle to produce thrust.
Composition of the fuel is being kept secret."



If we were to do this why not use the liberated hydrogen as a source
of additional thrust by combining it with the oxygen from the ambient
air.

This could be like a ramjet/rocket that would first combine
aluminum+sodium+magnesium with water and blow the combustion gases
into a ventury, like an ejector ramjet, where the entrained air would
further burn with the hydrogen and improve the Isp.

Zoltan

(Zoltan Szakaly) wrote:

(Hugh) wrote in message ...
On 19 Apr 2004 01:04:37 GMT, Jim Davis
wrote:

The following small item appeared in the Feb, 1967 (V9,N2) issue of
"Spaceflight":

"United Technology Center scientists have announced the successful
test-firing of a small rocket motor which uses water as an oxidant in
conjunction with a solid fuel. Combustion occurs instantaneouslywhen
water is sprayed into the hollow core of the solid fuel grain.
Chemicals in the fuel react violently with the water, generating
4000°F gases which are expelled through a nozzle to produce thrust.
Composition of the fuel is being kept secret."



If we were to do this why not use the liberated hydrogen as a source
of additional thrust by combining it with the oxygen from the ambient
air.

This could be like a ramjet/rocket that would first combine
aluminum+sodium+magnesium with water and blow the combustion gases
into a ventury, like an ejector ramjet, where the entrained air would
further burn with the hydrogen and improve the Isp.

Zoltan

In which case, why not simply burn the solid fuel with the oxygen in the
air -- same net effect, and you don't have to lug water around.

Something doesn't add up here. Oh, btw, it's spelled "venturi".

/kenw

Ken Wallewein
K&M Systems Integration
Phone (403)274-7848
Fax (403)275-4535

www.kmsi.net