SLURRY FUEL PERFORMANCE STUDIES
Abstract
This program was concerned with the development, characterization and combustion testing of advanced boron slurry fuels for use in low-altitude ramjet-powered missiles. Three types of boron were used: commercial grade, submicron, and ultra-fine, high purity boron. Through extensive ball-milling of the submicron and ultra-fine powders, slurries could be formulated (in ungelled JP-4 carrier) which were competitive with standard commercial-grade formulations in volumetric heat release, rheology, and stability. Other formulation work resulted in the optimization of a 1965 'workhorse' formulation (basic formulation of 73 per cent ball-milled boron in gelled JP-4) and a slurry of washed boron in isopropanol which can be loaded to a maximum solids content of about 80 per cent. The most critical trade-off among slurry properties is between storage stability and rheology (yield stress and viscosity) at low temperatures. Based on work at the University of Dayton Research Institute, the apparent viscosities of 'standard', shelf-storable slurries of 73 per cent boron in JP-4 and 75 per cent boron in isopropanol at 100/sec shear rate and -65 F are about 5,000 poise and 4,000 poise, respectively. Reduction of these values appears to be one of the most immediate problems in future boron slurry development.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1966
- Accession Number
- AD0389945
Entities
People
- Robert L. Durfee
Organizations
- ARCO