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The 1999 Archive
Rocket Fuel
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The Explosives and Weapons Forum
The 1999 Archive
Rocket Fuel
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This topic was originally posted in this forum: Explosives |
| Author | Topic: Rocket Fuel |
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darcey Frequent Poster |
posted November 07, 1999 06:58 PM
What are some good Kn03 or Ammonium Nitrate based rocket fuels?? i have tryed the old suger+Kno3 and wasn't too impressed. The Kn03 and Vit C wasn't all that bad but 2 out of every 5 exploded (because of to much compression). Does anyone else know any other good rocket fuel formulas? Would mixing copper or Aluminium particals with the fuel create a coloured flame or will it do jack shit? |
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nbk2000 Moderator |
posted November 07, 1999 09:55 PM
Adding metal powders will color the flame while also making it burn much faster and hotter. You say that the VitC powder worked but cause explosions. Was it loose powder, rammed, compressed with a binder, or what? I'm interested in knowing the details (since I'm the one who first posted it). ------------------ |
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darcey Frequent Poster |
posted November 07, 1999 10:37 PM
I have been making a new rocket today with about 20 grams of a copper/aluminium powder and am waiting till night time to set off. The VitC gunpowder was constructed with a hydrolic press and a mold. After making the powder (65/35) i slightly wet it with solvent and spooned the mix into the mold (high impact PVC) then put under the press. A piece of dowel the same diametre as the mold was attached to the press. The press was locked and then used to compress the damp powder under 150 kgs of pressure. The compression lasted 1/2 and hour then the mold was taken off the press. I then drilled, at a low speed, a core down the centre of the fuel block (the compressed VitC powder). The fuel block was then taken aout of the mold and loaded into a pre made PVC rocket. The rocket was set off with homemade igniters from a really good rocket page (i can get the address if anyone wants it). I made two of these rockets and they both exploded with alot of force (totally destroyed my launch platform and 5 bricks it was standing on in the second launch). I decided that either the compression was too great or the rocket motors hole was too small. So i downed the compression down in weight and time (only 100kgs for 5 minutes) plus i added a binder. I used gum arabic which is a better binder for colder climates. A small amount(roughly one table spoon per 40 grams) was added then wet with distilled water. This was then compressed and loaded into pre made PVC rockets. These rockets work a treat. I lost sight, at night after about 5 seconds. I have made up a 600gram rocket using suger/Kn03+20 grams of the copper/aluminium metal mix. I Plan to launch this rocket in about 2 hours (or when dark). I will post what happens |
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VeHeMT Frequent Poster |
posted November 08, 1999 01:58 AM
The problem wasnt too much compression. In fact you may want even more compression. But it means nothing until you know the density of the propellant grain. I would suggest shortening the length of the inner core with small increments until you produce a motor that functions properly (no more CATO's ;]). How was the KNO3/Sucrose mixed? It is strange, I have had very good success with that fuel. And where did you get the ascorbic acid? I can get the pure ascorbic acid from the pharmacy here but is 8 dollars for 100 grams (fuck that) or 2.50 for 25 grams. |
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