Quantitative Study of the Effects of Chemical Additives in Propellant Flames

摘要

This research addresses perceived needs of the U.S. Army in the development and use of biodiesel fuels and in the combustion chemistry of small cyclic nitramines. Studies are described of the chemistry of simple methyl and ethyl esters chosen as surrogates for the long chain mono-alkyl esters that are primary constituents of biodiesel fuels. The principal goal of these studies is the elucidation of the reaction mechanisms responsible for observed reductions in particulates, polycyclic aromatics, carbon monoxide, and unburned hydrocarbons when biodiesel is introduced as an additive to petroleum diesel. A recent research initiative is the study of the flame chemistry of morpholine, a simple cyclic nitramine, distantly related to the complex nitramine propellants HMX and RDX.