Evaluation of a storable fluorine based pilot for scramjetsAn ignitor/pilot device for scramjet engines has been tested with C2H4, C2H6, and CH4 gaseous hydrocarbon fuels at Mach 2. The pilot was designed to operate with storable nontoxic propellants rather than hazardous pyrophorics; the pilot fluid is a mixture of ethylene, oxygen, and sulfur hexafluoride. The pilot reduced the minimum temperature at which all three hydrocarbon fuels ignited; a comparison was then conducted between combustion efficiency calculations for these test results and those of pilots using nitrogen in place of sulfur hexafluoride, and using silane-hydrogen (yielding equivalent energy). The nitrogen-substituted pilot exhibited the highest efficiency.
Document ID
19860037959
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Diskin, G. S. (NASA Langley Research Center; Joint Institute for Advancement of Flight Sciences Hampton, VA, United States)
Northam, G. B. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)