Regression rate behavior of hybrid rocket solid fuels

An experimental investigation of the regression-rate characteristics of hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) solid fuel burning with oxygen was conducted using a windowed, slab-geometry hybrid rocket motor. A real-time, x-ray radiography system was used to obtain instantaneous solid-fuel regression rate data at many axial locations. Fuel temperature measurements were made using an array of 25- πm e ne-wire embedded thermocouples. The regression rates displayed a strong dependence on axial location near the motor head-end. At lower mass e ux levels, thermal radiation was found to signie cantly ine uence the regression rates. The regression rates werealso affected by theadditionofactivated aluminum powder.A 20%by weightaddition of activated aluminum to HTPB increased the fuel mass e ux by 70% over that of pure HTPB. Correlations were developed to relate the regression rate to operating conditions and port geometry for both pure HTPB and for HTPB loaded with certain fractions of activated aluminum. Thermocouple measurements indicated that the fuel surface temperatures for pureHTPBwerebetween930 and1190 K.TheHTPBactivationenergywasestimatedat11.5 kcal/mole,suggesting that the overall regression process is governed by physical desorption of high-molecular weight fragments from the fuel surface.