Advanced Fuels for Chemical Lasers
Abstract
The report presents the results of a program to evaluate new reactants for the CW HF chemical laser. Reactants considered included the oxidizers F2, N2F4, NF3, ClF5, and ClF3; the precombustor fuels H2, N2H4, NH3, CS2, (CN)2, PF3, hydrocarbons, and perfluorohydrocarbons; the diluents He and N2; and the cavity fuels hydrogen halides, hydrocarbons, and partially halogenated hydrocarbons. Also considered as precombustor reactants were nitrogen oxide-oxidizer combinations. Analyses of the precombustor thermochemistry demonstrated that NF3 and the interhalogens have less favorable thermochemical properties than do F2 and N2F4, but all of the reactant systems considered could generate sufficient F atoms if large enough fraction of the oxidizer were combusted. Kinetic analyses of the cavity reactions were carried out (using the premixed approximation) for the cavity fuels H2, HCL, C3H8, and HBr. Small-scale laser tests were utilized to evaluate advanced cavity fuels and advanced precombustor oxidizer fuel combinations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1975
- Accession Number
- ADB003966
Entities
People
- A. Axworthy
- G. Schneider
- J. Hon
- L. Forman