Highly Stabilised Hydrogen Peroxide as a Rocket Propellant

Toxicological concerns about the use of hydrazine based fuels and dinitrogen tetroxide as rocket propellant combinations have led to renewed research interest in hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant. Hydrogen peroxide is envir onmentally friendly and when combined with a suitable fuel has a high density specific impulse. This is due to its high specific gravity and stoichiometric oxidant/fuel ratio especially if combined with kerosene. Whereas hydrogen peroxide rocket engine s have traditionally relied on heterogeneous systems for catalysing the decomposition, the present work explores the use of homogeneous catalysis to generate the high temperature stream of oxygen for subsequent mixing with the fuel. The paper seeks to dem onstrate that this can be done successfully using a very highly stabilised form of hydrogen peroxide. The latter should in principle lead to safer handling, transportation and storage of the hydrogen peroxide at the high concentrations required for good performance. A small -scale engine, with a nominal impulse rating of 2000 Ns, has been built to demonstrate the concept. This is described and preliminary results of successful firings are reported.