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Propellant Transformation
   
 

Propellant can be transformed by at least two general processes, which are:

  • preprocessing
    • deeply cooling,
    • liquefaction,
    • heating,
    • decomposition and
    • reformation,
    and
  • combustion.

    Decomposition of H2O2.H2O
    Decomposition process by

  • Low Temperature Electrolysis (LTE),
  • High Temperature Electrolysis (HTE) with a normal operation temperature between 100 °C and 850 °C,
  • Low Pressure Electrolysis (LPE) or
  • integrated systems of the before listed ones

    of H2O2 stored safely in H2O for being more easily to handle (key- words in-air refueling/aerial propellant transfer) in concentrations of:
    100% 1:0 (1. step exothermic producing steam at over 600 °C and maximum specific impulse of 161 s; 2. step endothermic electrolysis by heat, pressure and energy of 1st step)
    2×H2O2 → 2×H2O + O2 → 2×H2 + 2×O2
    50% 1:1 (endothermic low heat (boiling point of H2O2 is 152 °C, concentration increase of 2.2% per 10 °C) by burning eg. a hydrocarbon fuel until autodecomposition)
    2×H2O2 ∪ 2×H2O → 2×H2O + O2 ∪ 2×H2O → 4×H2 + 3×O2
    34% 1:2 (endothermic higher heat by burning eg. a hydrocarbon fuel until autodecomposition)
    2×H2O2 ∪ 4×H2O → 2×H2O + O2 ∪ 4×H2O → 6×H2 + 4×O2

    Decomposition of H2O
    In the later phase while flying above a velocity of 1.5 Mach, enough heat and electricity (MHD generator) is available without H2O2 decomposition for the decomposition by

  • High Temperature Electrolysis (HTE) with a normal operation temperature between 100 °C and 850 °C,
  • High Pressure Electrolysis (HPE) with an average energy consumption for internal compression of around 3% or
  • integrated systems of the before listed ones

    of H2O:
    2×H2O → 2×H2 + O2

    Reformation of hydrocarbon
    Hydrocarbon reformation by always available H2O steam of for example:
    CH2 (methylene or approximate formula of kerosene),
    CH4 (methane),
    CH3OH (CH4O or MeOH; methanol or methyl alcohol) and
    CH3CH2OH (C2H5OH or EtOH; ethanol or ethyl alcohol).
    The reformations are given by the formulas:
    CH2 + H2O → CO + 2×H2
    CH4 + H2O → CO + 3×H2
    CH3OH → CO + 2×H2
    CH3CH2OH + H2O → 2×CO + 4×H2
    Often, this is followed by the water-gas shift reaction for CO (carbon monoxide) reduction:
    CO + H2O → CO2 + H2
    So we get:
    CH2 + 2×H2O → CO2 + 3×H2
    CH4 + 2×H2O → CO2 + 4×H2 (see also reversed Sabatier reaction)
    CH3OH + H2O → CO2 + 3×H2
    CH3CH2OH + 3×H2O → 2×CO2 + 6×H2

    Combustion of hydrocarbon with oxygen
    The combustions with (liquid) oxygen are given by the formulas:
    CH2 + 1.5×O2 → CO2 + H2O
    CH4 + 2×O2 → CO2 + 2×H2O
    CH3OH + 1.5×O2 → CO2 + 2×H2O
    CH3CH2OH + 3×O2 → 2×CO2 + 3×H2O
    The combustions with CH reformation (very hot air-breathing engine) and (liquid) oxygen are given by the formulas:
    CH2 + H2O + O2 → CO + 2×H2 + O2 → CO + 2×H2O
    CH4 + H2O + 1.5×O2 → CO + 3×H2 + 1.5×O2 → CO + 3×H2O
    CH3OH + O2 → CO + 2×H2 + O2 → CO + 2×H2O
    CH3CH2OH + H2O + 2×O2 → ... → 2×CO2 + 4×H2O
    The combustions with CH reformation and CO reduction (very hot air-breathing engine) and (liquid) oxygen are given by the formulas:
    CH2 + 2×H2O + 1.5×O2 → CO2 + 3×H2 + 1.5×O2 → CO2 + 3×H2O
    CH4 + 2×H2O + 2×O2 → CO2 + 4×H2 + 2×O2 → CO2 + 4×H2O
    CH3OH + H2O + 1.5×O2 → CO2 + 3×H2 + 1.5×O2 → CO2 + 3×H2O
    CH3CH2OH + 3×H2O + 3×O2 → ... → 2×CO2 + 6×H2O

    Combustion of hydrocarbon with hydrogen peroxide
    The combustion with hydrogen peroxide is given by the formula:
    CH2 + 3×H2O2 → CO2 + 4×H2O
    The combustion with CH reformation (very hot air-breathing engine) and hydrogen peroxide is given by the formula:
    CH2 + H2O + 2×H2O2 → CO + 2×H2 + 2×H2O2 → CO + 4×H2O
    The combustion with CH reformation and CO reduction (very hot air-breathing engine) and hydrogen peroxide is given by the formula:
    CH2 + 2×H2O + 3×H2O2 → CO2 + 3×H2 + 3×H2O2 → CO2 + 6×H2O
    For the other propellants the formulas are analogous.

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