Date of Last Revision
2023-05-03 12:32:35
Major
Chemical Engineering - Cooperative Education
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science
Date of Expected Graduation
Spring 2019
Abstract
In this study, two solid composite rocket propellants were designed utilizing ProPEP, a rocket propellant formulation software common in the amateur and hobby rocketry communities. The two propellants were designed to optimize specific impulse relative to a literature propellant designed by 1020 Research Labs. The literature propellant was also tested in order to validate the design of experiment as well as the mixing and testing procedures. All three propellants, which includes the literature propellant RCS-P, and the two novel propellants AKR-P1 and AKR-P2 were characterized with static tests. The results of the static tests provide data on propellant performance and characterization parameters to be used in the design of scalable rocket motors. AKR-P2 delivered a specific impulse of 219 seconds, a 20% improvement compared to the base case literature propellant RCS-P. AKR-P2 also delivered up to 22% more thrust than the other test propellant AKR-P1.
Research Sponsor
Dr. George Chase
First Reader
Roya Gitiafroz
Second Reader
Steve Eves
Recommended Citation
O'Brien, Isaac and Ryan, Austin, "Improving the Delivered Specific Impulse of Composite Rocket Propellant through Alteration of Chemical Composition: Methodology and Parameters for Characterization of Propellant and Validation of Simulation Software Common to the Amateur Rocketry Community" (2019). Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects. 818.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects/818
Included in
Aeronautical Vehicles Commons, Catalysis and Reaction Engineering Commons, Heat Transfer, Combustion Commons, Other Chemical Engineering Commons, Propulsion and Power Commons, Structures and Materials Commons, Systems Engineering and Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Commons