PROTOTYPE STORAGE AND DELIVERY DEVICE FOR CRYOGENIC SOLID OXYGEN PROPELLANTS.

ORBITEC PROPOSES TO DEVELOP A MEANS TO PRODUCE AND UTILIZE SOLID OXIDIZERS IN A COMBUSTION CHAMBER. CONDENSION GASEOUS OXYGEN DIRECTLY TO THE SOLID STATE APPEARS AN INTRACTABLE APPROACH BECOUSE OF LOW DENSITY OF THE FROST FORMATION. RAPID FREEZING FROM THE LIQUID PHASE HOWEVER, ASSURES A DENSE, COHERENT SOLID PHASE FORMATION. TO SIMPLIFY DELIVERY TO THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER, WE PROPOSE TO USE THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER AS THE FREEZING AND STORAGE COMPARTMENT. CRYOGENS OTHER THAN HYDROGEN AND HELIUM HAVE NEGLIGIBLE VAPOR PRESSURES AT THE TEMPERATURES INDICATED, AND SUBLIMATION REATES WOULD BE NEGLIGIBLY SLOW. WE PROPOSE TO ACCOMPLISH THE OXIDIZER SOLIDIFICAITON BY MEANS OF AN LH2 CHILLED HEAT SINK AND TO CONTROL THE RATE OF CONDENSATION BY THE DELIVERY PRESSURE OF THE OXYGEN/OZONE MIXTURE. IN OPERATION, THE ENGINE WOULD OPERATE AS A LIQUID/SOLID HYBRID MOTOR. GASEOUS OR LIQUID FUEL, SUCH AS HYDROGEN OR METHANE WOULD BE PRESSURE FED INTO THE SOLID OXIDIZER GRAIN WHICH HAD BEEN FORMED IN PLACE IN THE MOTOR CASE. DURING PHASE I WE WILL DEMONSTRATE THE CONDENSATION AND FREEZE PROCESS. DURING PHASE II, WE WILL BUILD AND FIRE A SMALL MOTOR IN THE 100-200 LB THRUST RANGE.