Table of Contents
How dense is rocket fuel?
| PROPERTIES OF ROCKET PROPELLANTS | ||
|---|---|---|
| Compound | Chemical Formula | Density |
| Liquid Oxygen | O2 | 1.14 g/ml |
| Liquid Fluorine | F2 | 1.50 g/ml |
| Nitrogen Tetroxide | N2O4 | 1.45 g/ml |
How much does rocket fuel weigh?
1,607,185 pounds
tank carry 835,958 gallons of the principal liquid propellants – hydrogen, oxygen, hydrazine, monomethylhydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide – cur- rently costing approximately $1,380,000. Their total weight is 1,607,185 pounds.
What is the cleanest rocket fuel?
Hydrogen. Many early rocket theorists believed that hydrogen would be a marvelous propellant, since it gives the highest specific impulse. It is also considered the cleanest when oxidized with oxygen because the only by-product is water.
Why does SpaceX use RP-1?
RP-1 has a lower specific impulse than liquid hydrogen but is cheaper to produce, far more stable at room temperature, and far denser which makes it significantly more powerful by volume than liquid hydrogen. RP-1 is most commonly burned using liquid oxygen as an oxidizer.
Does rocket fuel burn cleanly?
“This is a new, cleaner approach to making highly combustible fuels, that are not only significantly safer than those currently in use, but they also respond or combust very quickly, which is an essential quality in rocket fuel,” says Tomislav Friščić.
What kind of fuel does a rocket use?
The petroleum used as rocket fuel is a type of highly refined kerosene, called RP-1 in the United States. Petroleum fuels are usually used in combination with liquid oxygen as the oxidizer. Kerosene delivers a specific impulse considerably less than cryogenic fuels, but it is generally better than hypergolic propellants.
How is the exhaust velocity of a rocket determined?
The theoretical exhaust velocity of a given propellant chemistry is a function of the energy released per unit of propellant mass (specific energy). Unburned fuel or oxidizer drags down the specific energy. However, most rockets run fuel-rich mixtures.
How is the energy density of a fuel determined?
Specific energy is the energy per unit mass of a fuel. Energy density is the energy per unit volume of a fuel. The Specific Energy and Energy Density of some common fuels and combustible compounds are given below.
Why do liquid fueled rockets have higher specific impulse?
Liquid-fueled rockets have higher specific impulse than solid rockets and are capable of being throttled, shut down, and restarted. Only the combustion chamber of a liquid-fueled rocket needs to withstand high combustion pressures and temperatures. Cooling can be done regeneratively with the liquid propellant.