Utilization of High-Density Strained Hydrocarbon Fuels for Propulsion

To increase the range of liquid-hydrocarbon-fueled ramjets and cruise missiles, a new class of high-density strained hydrocarbon fuels has been synthesized and characterized. By virtue of the increased density and additional strain energy introduced during synthesis, these fuels haveincreased thevolumetricheatof combustion. The oxidation chemistry and short-term and long-term stability for storage of these fuels have been studied. Because of the high carbon-content-to-hydrogen ratio of the molecules, there is an increased tendency for sooting. Several methods have been identie ed to eliminate this problem. These include sequential timed fuel injection, retarded fuel-stream velocities, and the use of additives. It has been shown that soot generation and transport can be controlled and that these fuels microexplode rapidly, thus offering potential for utilization in propulsion systems to obtain increased range.