Liquid Oxygen (LOX) is the unrivaled oxidizer of all the liquid propulsion rockets. It is stored in cryogenic high-pressure tanks inside the rocket. High-pressure tanks are heavy and bulky. RP1 on the other hand is stored in room temperature. RP1 storage tanks need to be thick especially at the bottom in order to withstand the weight of the liquid. I propose using solid RP1 as the storage container for liquid oxygen.
Solid materials maintain their shape and do not require thick containers for storage. Therefore, the rocket casing carrying solid RP1 and liquid oxygen can be made thinner and lighter. RP1 freezes around -60 °C and RP2 around -50 °C. Solid RP fuel would serve as a temperature barrier between the liquid oxygen and the ambient air. Additionally, it maintains the pressure on liquid oxygen, preventing it from changing states.
Once the rocket is ignited on ground, the heat from the combustion chamber would be used to melt the RP1 and vaporize the oxygen. As both propellent are consumed, the solid structure would slide down and restrict the liquid oxygen from expending. Negating the need for high pressure Helium tanks.
When all oxygen is consumed, the stages of the rocket separate. The remaining solid RP1 would then be used to slow down the free-falling stage as a warm gas mono propellent. This setup can be used both for the first and the second stages.
No comments :
Post a Comment