Hydrazine Rocket Fuels

Abstract

This paper reviews the work carried out by the author on hydrazine fuels. The major aspect relates to the solid derivatives of hydrazines, which have been conceived as fuels for hybrid rockets. The hypergolicity of these fuels with commonly used oxidizers like white- or red-fuming nitric acid (WFNA or RENA) has been examined.The dependence of the ignition delay on the chemical make up of the fuel has been explored. The preignition reaction process has been examined to pin point the nature of chemical reactions, by isolating the reaction intermediates, and by examining transient temperature profiles. Other studies on hybrid systems include calculation of theoretical performance parameters, thermal decomposition, determination of heats of combustion in WEN & synergistic ignition and development of metallized fuels, etc. Investigations pertaining to anhydroushydrazine as a monopropellant involve catalytic decomposition and catalyst development studies. For solid rockets, the use of oxonium salts of hydrazine, namely, hydrazinium mono- and diperchlorates, have been considered as oxidizers. On the synthesis side, considering the problems associated with the prevailing aqueous processes an anhydrous process, wherein hydrazine and substituted hydrazines could be synthesised innon-aqueous solvents, has been evolved.