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Spacecraft Propellants |
References
Encyclopedia
Astronautica by Mark Wade
The following NASA reports from NTRS were consulted for Fluorine/Lithium Propellants:
Lithium-fluorine-hydrogen
propellant investigation Final Report (NASA-CR-72695,
R-8039)
Lithium-fluorine-hydrogen propellant study Final report
(NASA-CR-72325, R-7257)
You might wonder why Liquid Fluorine or Liquid Lithium aren't used more. The answer is that Fluorine is violently unstable and likes to spontaneously combust on contact with such sundry things as the air, or rocket engineers.
Lithium on the other hand, has to be kept at a temperature above 180 degrees Celsius, or it solidifies; which makes engineering a bit tricky, keeping the Fluorine tanks below -188 degrees Celsius, and the Lithium tanks above 180 degrees Celsius in a space limited application where you cannot use space as an insulator.
Propellant Combinations (by vacuum ISP)
Fluorine (LF2) / Lithium (LLi) / Hydrogen (GH2) Tri-Propellant
Oxidizer/Fuel Ratio: 2.74 (plus
30% of bi-propellant flow rate in gaseous hydrogen to improve exhaust
thermodynamics)
Density: Unknown
Temperature of
Combustion: Unknown
ISP (vac): 542
Fluorine (LF2) / Lithium (LLi)
Oxidizer/Fuel Ratio: 2.2
to 3.3 (unknown which is the most efficient)
Density:
936 kg/m3 to 1,037 kg/m3
Temperature of Combustion: 2,200
K
ISP (vac): 458
Fluorine (LF2) / Hydrogen (LH2)
Oxidizer/Fuel Ratio:
8.0
Density: 464 kg/m3
Temperature of Combustion:
3,960 K
ISP (sl): 410
ISP (vac): 470
LOX/Hydrogen (LH2)
Oxidizer/Fuel Ratio:
6.0
Density: 362 kg/m3
Temperature of Combustion:
2,985 K
ISP (sl): 391
ISP (vac): 451
LOX/Kerosene
Oxidizer/Fuel Ratio:
2.56
Density:
1,021 kg/m3
Temperature of Combustion: 3,670
K
ISP (sl): 300
ISP
(vac): 353
LOX/Ammonia
Oxidizer/Fuel Ratio:
1.40
Density: 832 kg/m3
Temperature of Combustion:
3,090 K
ISP (sl): 294
ISP (vac): 343
LOX/Alcohol 92.5%
Oxidizer/Fuel Ratio:
1.73
Density: 986 kg/m3
Temperature of Combustion:
3,390 K
ISP (sl): 284
ISP (vac): 338
LOX/Alcohol 75%
Oxidizer/Fuel Ratio:
1.43
Density:
1,011 kg/m3
Temperature of Combustion: 3,230
K
ISP (sl): 282
ISP
(vac): 297
Oxidizers (By Density)
Fluorine (LF2)
Density (Liquid): 1,510
kg/m3
Freezing Point: -219 C
Boiling Point: -188
C
Oxygen (LOX)
Density (Liquid): 1,140
kg/m3
Freezing Point: -219 C
Boiling Point: -183
C
Fuels (By Density)
Alcohol (C2H5OH)
Density (Liquid) (75% Alcohol):
870 kg/m3
Density (Liquid) (92.5% Alcohol): 800
kg/m3
Freezing Point: -114 C
Boiling Point: 78
C
RP-1 Kerosene
Density (Liquid): 806
kg/m3
Freezing Point: -73 C
Boiling Point: 147
C
Ammonia (NH3)
Density (Liquid): 604
kg/m3
Freezing Point: -78 C
Boiling Point: -33
C
Lithium (LLi)
Density (Liquid):
510 kg/m3
Freezing Point: 180
C
Boiling Point: 1,341
C
Hydrogen (LH2)
Density (Liquid): 71
kg/m3
Freezing Point: -259 C
Boiling Point: -253
C