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Variability of The Rocket Propellants RP-1, RP-2, and TS-5: Application of a Composition- and Enthalpy-Explicit Distillation Curve Method

Published

Author(s)

Lisa S. Ott, Amelia B. Hadler, Thomas J. Bruno

Abstract

We have recently introduced several important improvements in the measurement of distillation curves for complex fluids.  This method is a significant improvement over current approaches, featuring a composition-explicit data channel for each distillate fraction (for both qualitative and quantitative analysis) and an assessment of the energy content of each distillate fraction, among other features.  The most significant modification is achieved with a new sampling approach that allows precise qualitative as well as quantitative analyses of each fraction, on the fly. We have applied the new method to the measurement of a wide variety of fluids, including hydrocarbons, gasoline, jet fuel, diesel fuels (both petroleum-derived and biodiesel), and crude oils.  In this paper, we present the application of the technique to representative batches of the rocket propellants RP-1, RP-2, and TS-5.  We present not only the distillation curves but also utilize the composition-explicit information to characterize distillate cuts in terms of composition and available energy content.  The measure we use for the fluid energy content is the composite enthalpy of combustion for each component selected for identification in each distillate fraction.  Overall, the distillation curves and enthalpy data for all three fluids are remarkably similar.
Citation
Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research
Volume
47
Issue
23

Keywords

distillation curve, enthalpy of combustion, rocket propellant, RP-1, RP-2, TS-5

Citation

Ott, L. , Hadler, A. and Bruno, T. (2008), Variability of The Rocket Propellants RP-1, RP-2, and TS-5: Application of a Composition- and Enthalpy-Explicit Distillation Curve Method, Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=832254 (Accessed March 28, 2024)
Created December 2, 2008, Updated October 12, 2021