Environmental Studies

Project: Thermal Decomposer for Hydrogen Peroxide

Student: Casey E. O’Quin
Advisor: Ralph W. Pike

The development of a prototype of a thermal decomposer for rocket propellant grade hydrogen peroxide, HTP (high test peroxide) requires the detailed understanding of HTP decomposition chemistry to allow more creative, safe, and efficient designs. Hydrogen peroxide is called a “green” propellant since the decomposition products are oxygen and water. Research will provide decomposition mechanism and validation of decomposition kinetics for use in a definitive design of a thermal decomposer, and a demonstration of its performance. A series of experiments are being conducted in the single droplet decomposition apparatus and in a batch reactor. The experiments are designed to determine the fundamental kinetic parameters of liquid phase hydrogen peroxide decomposition. The results of these measurements will be used in a flow reactor to provide data for combined heat and mass transfer and reaction kinetics effects to support the design of the prototype of the thermal decomposer. The innovation is elimination of the catalyst bed in HTP devices including rocket engines and chemical lasers. Eliminating the life-limiting catalyst bed reduces the system weight and cost, and allows the concentration of stabilizers and/or corrosion inhibitors to be increased, enhancing the handling safety of HTP. Furthermore, the detailed understanding of HTP decomposition chemistry developed during this investigation would allow more creative, safe, and efficient designs of HTP combustion devices.

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