Ballistic test investigation of hybrid rocket motor utilizing stearic acid biofuel with energetic additives for regression rate enhancement

• Main Authors: Ahmad, Mohamed Tarmizi, Jagannathan, A., Abidin, Razali, Noordin, M. N.H., Wan Ya’acob, Wan Mohd Hanif, Zhahir, Amzari, Azami, Muhammad Hanafi
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English; English
• Published: American Institute of Physics Inc. 2021
• Subjects: TL780 Rockets; TL787 Astronautics
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/89758/1/AIP%20Publication.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/89758/7/89758_Ballistic%20test%20investigation%20of%20hybrid%20rocket_scopus.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/89758/; https://aip.scitation.org/doi/abs/10.1063/5.0044504

This research evaluates a novel composition based on Stearic Acid (SA) wax fuel, enriched with aluminium and carbon nanotubes (CNT) for hybrid propulsion system by carrying out a ballistic test. Benchmarking the aluminium doped hybrid fuel with the SA wax fuel, the former reveal lesser viscosity which leads to relatively improved entrainment-aided combustion. In contrast to the pure SA fuel, fine aluminium powder doped hybrid fuels show solid-like behavior, and hence greater stability in the solid phase. The loading of ultrafine aluminium powder substantially improves the efficacy of fuel regression during ballistic firing.