Dr.Felix Strausser
Harmless
Posts: 11
Registered: 15-11-2013
Location: Peenemünde
Member Is Offline
Mood: Monoclinic
|
|
Ideal substitute for rocket fuel.
Hey there!..... new to the forum. Just wanted to know the different kinds of compounds or mixtures that would substitute rocket fuel for a homemade
rocket. Something that can be obtained/or synthesized quickly, and keep me of the FBI's most wanted list.
Depending on how many members actually participate in this discussion i'd probably include a bit of physics as well.
Plus- if you are mentioning anything, TRY to mention the energy produced (if possible in joules) per combustion of 1g(mass) of the substance.
|
|
|
Dr.Felix Strausser
Harmless
Posts: 11
Registered: 15-11-2013
Location: Peenemünde
Member Is Offline
Mood: Monoclinic
|
|
I'm considering the following fuels:
1) Compressed oxy-hydrogen (gaseous)
2)KClO3? (solid)
3) Idon't know much about this thought but.......a mixture of HNO3 and ethanol in an equal ratio (by volume)?
|
|
|
Pulverulescent
National Hazard
Posts: 793
Registered: 31-1-2008
Member Is Offline
Mood: Torn between two monikers ─ "hissingnoise" and the present incarnation!
|
|
Two of those will likely simply detonate on ignition ─ the other won't do anything at all . . .
Some serious, sustained study would seem to be in order?
"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones"
A Einstein
|
|
|
Random
International Hazard
Posts: 1018
Registered: 7-5-2010
Location: In ur closet
Member Is Offline
Mood: Energetic
|
|
So KNO3 is illegal now?
|
|
|
Pulverulescent
National Hazard
Posts: 793
Registered: 31-1-2008
Member Is Offline
Mood: Torn between two monikers ─ "hissingnoise" and the present incarnation!
|
|
It's certainly an inferior oxidiser when compared to AN, AP and ADN . . .
"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones"
A Einstein
|
|
|
AJKOER
Radically Dubious
Posts: 3026
Registered: 7-5-2011
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
Construct a combustion chamber to which you inject a mist of alcohol which is subsequently mixed with air. In place of the later, you can use NO or
pure generated O2 to increase the power.
More simply, for example, pipe (constructed, for example, of Al or Zn) oxygen or NO into a chamber (or, have a central pipe core containing an
oxidizer like KClO4, which is not in contact with the fuel) into an air space lined with alcohol gel (in contact with the outer shell of the rocket)
and ignite the fumes. It is important that the O2 source and the fuel are separated until ignition else you will just have a denotation (in fact, many
poorly designed rockets just explode).
For those who have some doubts on the potential power, see the recent thread at http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=21691 together with links to a Youtube video that discusses so called "ethanol cannons".
Point it straight up and now it could loosely be called a 'rocket', but not accurately as the precise definition is "a cylindrical projectile that can
be propelled to a great height or distance by the combustion of its contents" source: https://www.google.com/#q=definition+of+a+rocket
[Edited on 16-11-2013 by AJKOER]
|
|
|
Pulverulescent
National Hazard
Posts: 793
Registered: 31-1-2008
Member Is Offline
Mood: Torn between two monikers ─ "hissingnoise" and the present incarnation!
|
|
| Quote: |
More simply, for example, pipe (constructed, for example, of Al or Zn) oxygen or NO into a chamber (or, have a central pipe core containing an
oxidizer like KClO4, which is not in contact with the fuel) into an air space lined with alcohol gel (in contact with the outer shell of the rocket)
and ignite the fumes. It is important that the O2 source and the fuel are separated until ignition else you will just have a denotation (in fact, many
poorly designed rockets just explode). |
Dangerous rubbish ─ the good doctor would be better advised to peruse this page?
"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones"
A Einstein
|
|
|
Pulverulescent
National Hazard
Posts: 793
Registered: 31-1-2008
Member Is Offline
Mood: Torn between two monikers ─ "hissingnoise" and the present incarnation!
|
|
| Quote: | | ...a mixture of HNO3 and ethanol in an equal ratio (by volume)? |
Such mixtures are shock-sensitive high explosives (comparable to nitro in their effect) ─ not to be prepared the amateur chemist who values eyes
and digits . . .
"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones"
A Einstein
|
|
|
Dr.Felix Strausser
Harmless
Posts: 11
Registered: 15-11-2013
Location: Peenemünde
Member Is Offline
Mood: Monoclinic
|
|
Never did mention KNO3.......
|
|
|
Dr.Felix Strausser
Harmless
Posts: 11
Registered: 15-11-2013
Location: Peenemünde
Member Is Offline
Mood: Monoclinic
|
|
As quoted: the good doctor would be better advised to peruse this page?
Never did consider KCLO4......Thx though......
[Edited on 17-11-2013 by Dr.Felix Strausser]
[Edited on 17-11-2013 by Dr.Felix Strausser]
|
|
|
papaya
National Hazard
Posts: 615
Registered: 4-4-2013
Member Is Offline
Mood: reactive
|
|
This is interesting : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLPWqCMb7DE
|
|
|
Random
International Hazard
Posts: 1018
Registered: 7-5-2010
Location: In ur closet
Member Is Offline
Mood: Energetic
|
|
Isn't that what most people use? It should be relatively cheap.
|
|
|
Agricola
Harmless
Posts: 42
Registered: 28-10-2013
Location: Brazil
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
A Google search shows most amateurs use KNO3-sucrose mixtures and some use blackpowder.
|
|
|
DetaDude
Harmless
Posts: 38
Registered: 21-3-2009
Location: Upper left hand U.S., Portland area
Member Is Offline
Mood: Alert
|
|
HNO3 & Etoh
If my memory serves me right............wasn't this mix used to fuel Hitlers V-2 !
DetaDude
Genius creates many a great works............Labor alone finishes them!
|
|
|
Metacelsus
International Hazard
Posts: 2531
Registered: 26-12-2012
Location: Boston, MA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Double, double, toil and trouble
|
|
No, the V2 used a 75% ethanol solution in water as fuel and liquid oxygen as oxidizer.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-2_rocket#Technical_details
|
|
|
ScienceSquirrel
International Hazard
Posts: 1863
Registered: 18-6-2008
Location: Brittany
Member Is Offline
Mood: Dogs are pets but cats are little furry humans with four feet and self determination! 
|
|
Practical amateur rocket fuels tend to be a solid mixture of a fuel and an oxidiser.
Zinc powder and sulphur was quite popular, gunpowder is OK, potassium nitrate and sulphur is quite popular.
I am not an expert and these are just suggestions.
Amateur rocket engine builders tend to avoid liquid fuels due to the complexity of storage in the rocket, pumps and building the combustion chamber.
If I was building a liquid fuel rocket I would go for something simple like high test hydrogen peroxide and a catalyst like a silver wire mesh.
This gives you one liquid to pump at a controlled rate in to the combustion chamber.
A liquid fueled rocket with fuel and oxidiser requires a lot more control over pumping rates and cooling, plus you can have storage problems if you
use nitric acid as an oxidiser.
You can build a working water / air rocket for tens of dollars / pounds /euros.
A solid fuel rocket for hundreds of the above.
A liquid fuel is going to cost thousands unless you have lots of spare pumps, pipes, tanks, etc lying around in your garage!
|
|
|
Dr.Felix Strausser
Harmless
Posts: 11
Registered: 15-11-2013
Location: Peenemünde
Member Is Offline
Mood: Monoclinic
|
|
Was expecting a lot more detailed stuff, but.......
Thanks anyways guys......
|
|
|
bfesser
|
Thread Pruned
23-11-2013 at 17:13 |
bfesser
|
Thread Moved
23-11-2013 at 17:14 |
Trotsky
Hazard to Others
Posts: 166
Registered: 6-2-2013
Location: US
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
There are hundreds of pages online covering this exact topic. You're not getting detailed answers because it's assumed that you can handle finding
this information yourself. It's not exactly difficult.
|
|
|
![[*]](images/xpblue/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
