NCKU professor used hydrogen peroxide as rocket propellant - noodls
Tainan, Taiwan, June 17, 2013
The most prominent feature of the launch of Taiwan's National Sounding Rocket 8 is its propellant which uses hydrogen peroxide developed by National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics (DAA) Distinguished Professor Dr. Yei-Chin Chao.
This is the first time locally developed hydrogen peroxide is used as rocket propellant in Taiwan, according to Dr. Chao.
Apart from using it as propellant for FORMOSAT-7, the Taiwan-produced hydrogen peroxide will also be further developed to be used as combustion additive to overcome problems related to incineration in the future.
Sounding Rocket 8 was successfully launched on June 5, where its mission was to complete two experiments, namely hydrogen peroxide-based single propulsion and recovery capsule.
The hydrogen peroxide-based single propulsion technology is applicable to orbit rectification and maintenance of small satellites, thus becoming the most ground-breaking research in Taiwan's development of satellite propulsion system.
Dr. Chao said that hydrogen peroxide must be highly concentrated so that combustion can be accelerated to create great explosive force, which only then can be used to driving force of microsatellites.
"In the past, hydrazine is mainly used as propellant. However, hydrazine is a highly hazardous chemical," explained Dr. Chao. "It is highly dependent on imports and is tightly controlled. Besides, it is also very expensive. During the design of Sounding Rocket 6, importing hydrazine became a problem for us."
Therefore, Dr. Chao decided to replace hydrazine with hydrogen peroxide and focused his efforts on researching hydrogen peroxide. Compared to hydrazine, hydrogen peroxide is not poisonous, has low acidity which is environmental friendly and safe, and is inexpensive.
Most importantly, it is developed by Taiwan where it is not under control by anyone. Hydrogen peroxide has been successfully proven for use during the launch of Sounding Rocket 8.
According to Dr. Chao, the normal hydrogen peroxide solution used as skin disinfectant has a concentration of approximately 2% and can be used to kill germs.
For environmental disinfection, the concentration of hydrogen peroxide solution can reach up to 10%.
Besides, semiconductor wafers are usually cleaned using hydrogen peroxide with concentration as high as 30% to 40%. However, for rocket or jet propulsion, the concentration of hydrogen peroxide must be at 85%.
To increase the driving force created by hydrogen peroxide as propellant, Dr. Chao used silver as a catalyst for hydrogen peroxide to accelerate combustion temperature up to 1000 degrees Celsius and above.
The decomposition of hydrogen peroxide by silver will release huge amount of decomposition heat, thus turning exhaust gas into high temperature mixture of oxygen and water which becomes an essential source of force for the propulsion system.
"Besides using it as propellant, continuous research on the application of hydrogen peroxide is being carried out," revealed Dr. Chao. "Under the long term collaboration effort between the National Space Organization (NSO) and NCKU, hydrogen peroxide will be used as propellant in the FORMOSAT-7 Program in the future."
FORMOSAT-7 is a joint collaborative 12+1 program between Taiwan and U.S.A., where 13 mini satellites will be built. Hydrogen peroxide will be used as micro-satellite propellant in this program. FORMOSAT-7 is expected to be launched after 2016.
Furthermore, Dr. Chao has also carried out research on hydrogen peroxide as a combustion additive. Dr. Chao noted that hydrogen peroxide is a good oxidizing agent that enhances combustion. If hydrogen peroxide is added into different kinds of gasoline and heavy oil tanks, it can increase the speed of starting vehicles. Besides, hydrogen peroxide can enhance waste incineration.
It is a well-known fact that waste incineration creates waste gas which is recognized as the largest source of environmental pollution. The addition of an appropriate amount of hydrogen peroxide during incineration can help raise combustion temperature, accelerate incineration and reduce waste gas emission, thus lowering environmental pollution in the process.
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The most prominent feature of the launch of Taiwan's National Sounding Rocket 8 is its propellant which uses hydrogen peroxide developed by National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics (DAA) Distinguished Professor Dr. Yei-Chin Chao.
This is the first time locally developed hydrogen peroxide is used as rocket propellant in Taiwan, according to Dr. Chao.
Apart from using it as propellant for FORMOSAT-7, the Taiwan-produced hydrogen peroxide will also be further developed to be used as combustion additive to overcome problems related to incineration in the future.
Sounding Rocket 8 was successfully launched on June 5, where its mission was to complete two experiments, namely hydrogen peroxide-based single propulsion and recovery capsule.
The hydrogen peroxide-based single propulsion technology is applicable to orbit rectification and maintenance of small satellites, thus becoming the most ground-breaking research in Taiwan's development of satellite propulsion system.
Dr. Chao said that hydrogen peroxide must be highly concentrated so that combustion can be accelerated to create great explosive force, which only then can be used to driving force of microsatellites.
"In the past, hydrazine is mainly used as propellant. However, hydrazine is a highly hazardous chemical," explained Dr. Chao. "It is highly dependent on imports and is tightly controlled. Besides, it is also very expensive. During the design of Sounding Rocket 6, importing hydrazine became a problem for us."
Therefore, Dr. Chao decided to replace hydrazine with hydrogen peroxide and focused his efforts on researching hydrogen peroxide. Compared to hydrazine, hydrogen peroxide is not poisonous, has low acidity which is environmental friendly and safe, and is inexpensive.
Most importantly, it is developed by Taiwan where it is not under control by anyone. Hydrogen peroxide has been successfully proven for use during the launch of Sounding Rocket 8.
According to Dr. Chao, the normal hydrogen peroxide solution used as skin disinfectant has a concentration of approximately 2% and can be used to kill germs.
For environmental disinfection, the concentration of hydrogen peroxide solution can reach up to 10%.
Besides, semiconductor wafers are usually cleaned using hydrogen peroxide with concentration as high as 30% to 40%. However, for rocket or jet propulsion, the concentration of hydrogen peroxide must be at 85%.
To increase the driving force created by hydrogen peroxide as propellant, Dr. Chao used silver as a catalyst for hydrogen peroxide to accelerate combustion temperature up to 1000 degrees Celsius and above.
The decomposition of hydrogen peroxide by silver will release huge amount of decomposition heat, thus turning exhaust gas into high temperature mixture of oxygen and water which becomes an essential source of force for the propulsion system.
"Besides using it as propellant, continuous research on the application of hydrogen peroxide is being carried out," revealed Dr. Chao. "Under the long term collaboration effort between the National Space Organization (NSO) and NCKU, hydrogen peroxide will be used as propellant in the FORMOSAT-7 Program in the future."
FORMOSAT-7 is a joint collaborative 12+1 program between Taiwan and U.S.A., where 13 mini satellites will be built. Hydrogen peroxide will be used as micro-satellite propellant in this program. FORMOSAT-7 is expected to be launched after 2016.
Furthermore, Dr. Chao has also carried out research on hydrogen peroxide as a combustion additive. Dr. Chao noted that hydrogen peroxide is a good oxidizing agent that enhances combustion. If hydrogen peroxide is added into different kinds of gasoline and heavy oil tanks, it can increase the speed of starting vehicles. Besides, hydrogen peroxide can enhance waste incineration.
It is a well-known fact that waste incineration creates waste gas which is recognized as the largest source of environmental pollution. The addition of an appropriate amount of hydrogen peroxide during incineration can help raise combustion temperature, accelerate incineration and reduce waste gas emission, thus lowering environmental pollution in the process.
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