Propellants chemical aspects

Rapp, L. R., and Strier, M. P., Chemical aspects of hypergolic ignition for liquid propellant rocket engines, in American Rocket Society Fall Meeting, Buffalo, NY, September 1956 (ARS paper 331-56). 

The Annual Proceedings of the Joiat Army-Navy-Air Force (JANNAF) Propulsion Meetings, the reports of the special committees, and the periodic hterature surveys pubHshed by the Chemical Propulsion Information Agency including the aimual Chemical Propulsion Abstracts are iuvaluable sources of information on all aspects of Hquid and soHd gun and rocket propellants. They maybe classified. 

Some occupational hygiene aspects of man-made mineral fibres and new technology fibres Safe handling requirements dunng explosive, propellant and pyrotechnic manufacture Simplified calculations of blast induced injuries and damage Laboratory work with chemical carcinogens and oncogenes Rosin (colophony) a review... 

This book is divided into four parts. The first part (Chapters 1-3) provides brief reviews of the fundamental aspects relevant to the conversion from chemical energy to aerothermal energy. References listed in each chapter should prove useful to the reader for better understanding of the physical bases of the energy conversion process energy formation, supersonic flow, shock wave, detonation, and defl agration. The second part (Chapter 4) deals with the energetics of chemical compounds used as propellants and explosives, such as heat of formation, heat of explosion, adiabatic flame temperature, and specific impulse. 

We thank the authors and reviewers of each of the papers. We also express our appreciation to the myriad chemists and chemical engineers who have contributed and will continue to contribute to progress in all aspects of rocket propulsion—propellants, structural materials, insulation, adhesives, igniters, process control, and safety. 

The parameters most commonly used to evaluate the performance of rocket engines are introduced first. From these, the significant parameters which determine the performance of propellants are derived. Similar to the approach in (15) simplified expressions will be derived theoretically in terms of the thermodynamic and other properties of the system in order to give insight into the fundamental significance of the individual performance parameters. These simplified expressions are derived from the so-called ideal rocket motor analysis. More accurate derivations are deferred until the next sections where the appropriate aspects of chemical thermodynamics are developed. 

In this symposium both the chemical and propulsion companies are heavily represented, but this was not always true. Increased government support of propulsion research since 1958 necessitated the involvement of major segments of the chemical industry. Before this time, most propulsion research was conducted by propulsion companies as an essential aspect of product improvement and competitive marketing. The competition, in the more basic research areas, between propellant chemists and industrial chemists working on propellant ingredients has tended to improve the quality of both. 

Let us now discuss some other aspects of the use of these propellants. Table I lists some unique physical and chemical properties of hydrogen which make it desirable as a rocket fuel. 

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