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Deposit formation in hydrocarbon rocket fuels: Executive summaryAn experimental program was conducted to study deposit formation in hydrocarbon fuels under flow conditions that exist in high-pressure, rocket engine cooling systems. A high pressure fuel coking test apparatus was designed and developed and was used to evaluate thermal decomposition (coking) limits and carbon deposition rates in heated copper tubes for two hydrocarbon rocket fuels, RP-1 and commercial-grade propane. Tests were also conducted using JP-7 and chemically-pure propane as being representative of more refined cuts of the baseline fuels. A parametric evaluation of fuel thermal stability was performed at pressures of 136 atm to 340 atm, bulk fuel velocities in the range 6 to 30 m/sec, and tube wall temperatures in the range 422 to 811K. In addition, the effect of the inside wall material on deposit formation was evaluated in selected tests which were conducted using nickel-plated tubes. The results of the tests indicated that substantial deposit formation occurs with RP-1 fuel at wall temperatures between 600 and 800K, with peak deposit formation occurring near 700K. No improvements were obtained when de-oxygenated JP-7 fuel was substituted for RP-1. The carbon deposition rates for the propane fuels were generally higher than those obtained for either of the kerosene fuels at any given wall temperature. There appeared to be little difference between commercial-grade and chemically-pure propane with regard to type and quantity of deposit. The results of tests conducted with RP-1 indicated that the rate of deposit formation increased slightly with pressure over the range 136 atm to 340 atm. Finally, plating the inside wall of the tubes with nickel was found to significantly reduce carbon deposition rates for RP-1 fuel.
Document ID
19830026888
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Contractor Report (CR)
Authors
Roback, R. (United Technologies Research Center East Hartford, CT, United States)
Szetela, E. J. (United Technologies Research Center East Hartford, CT, United States)
Spadaccini, L. J. (United Technologies Research Center East Hartford, CT, United States)
Date Acquired
September 4, 2013
Publication Date
September 1, 1981
Publication Information
Publisher: NASA. Lewis Research Center
Subject Category
Propellants And Fuels
Report/Patent Number
P81-915216-2
NASA-CR-165492
NAS 1.26:165492
Accession Number
83N35159
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS3-22277
PROJECT: RTOP 56-5212
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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