NH3 decomposed to H2 (G) results in inert N2 (G) N2 in the mix. I'd simply go
for H2 (L) as the fuel without any ballast N2 (G).
John
-----Original Message-----
From: arocket-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:arocket-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On ;
Behalf Of Jordin Kare
Sent: woensdag 7 juni 2017 15:28
To: arocket@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [AR] Re: methane to methanol
It puts more energy into the propellant, raising the Isp.
Straight LOX-NH3 has an Isp of only 354 s under the same conditions.
Not enough for SSTO.
Being able to burn straight LOX-NH3 is useful to provide high initial thrust,
though, or to provide thrust with reasonable Isp for part of the trajectory
when laser power isn’t available.
Jordin Kare
On Jun 7, 2017, at 6:06 AM, John Dom <johndom@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
X-15 engines burned LOX-NH3(L). Why crack the NH3 at all?
John
-----Original Message-----
From: arocket-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:arocket-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jordin Kare
Sent: donderdag 1 juni 2017 22:15
To: arocket@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [AR] Re: methane to methanol
How about a density of 0.868 kg/l and 410-420 sec. vacuum Isp (@100:1
expansion)?
You can do that with LOX-ammonia and some laser power to heat the
ammonia and turn it into H2 and N2.
Takes about 1/4 the laser power of a pure laser rocket. I talked
about it at the last Space Access meeting:
the Liquid Oxygen - Laser Cracked Ammonia Thruster (LOLCAT :-))
Jordin
