Nitrous oxide fuel blend monopropellants

Abstract

Compositions and methods herein provide monopropellants comprising nitrous oxide mixed with organic fuels in particular proportions creating stable, storable, monopropellants which demonstrate high ISP performance. Due to physical properties of the nitrous molecule, fuel/nitrous blends demonstrate high degrees of miscibility as well as excellent chemical stability. While the monopropellants are particularly well suited for use as propulsion propellants, they also lend themselves well to power generation in demanding situations where some specific cycle creates useable work and for providing gas pressure and/or heat for inflating deployable materials.

1 . A monopropellant comprising nitrous oxide and at least one hydrocarbon fuel. 
     
     
         2 . The monopropellant of  claim 1  wherein the hydrocarbon fuel is selected from the group consisting of ethane, ethylene, and acetylene. 
     
     
         3 . The monopropellant of  claim 1 , wherein the oxidizer-to-fuel ratio is about 2.5 to about 11.0. 
     
     
         4 . The monopropellant of  claim 3 , wherein the oxidizer-to-fuel ratio is about 4.0 to about 8.0. 
     
     
         5 . The monopropellant of  claim 4 , wherein the oxidizer-to-fuel ratio is about 4.5 to about 7.5. 
     
     
         6 . A monopropellant comprising nitrous oxide and ethane in an oxidizer-to-fuel ratio of about 2.5 to about 11.0. 
     
     
         7 . The monopropellant of  claim 6 , wherein the oxidizer-to-fuel ratio is about 3.0 to about 9.0. 
     
     
         8 . The monopropellant of  claim 7 , wherein the oxidizer-to-fuel ratio is about 4.0 to about 8.0. 
     
     
         9 . The monopropellant of  claim 8 , wherein the oxidizer-to-fuel ratio is about 4.5 to about 7.5. 
     
     
         10 . A monopropellant comprising nitrous oxide and ethylene in an oxidizer-to-fuel ration of about 2.5 to about 11.0. 
     
     
         11 . The monopropellant of  claim 10 , wherein the oxidizer-to-fuel ratio is about 3.0 to about 9.0. 
     
     
         12 . The monopropellant of  claim 11 , wherein the oxidizer-to-fuel ratio is about 4.0 to about 8.0. 
     
     
         13 . The monopropellant of  claim 12 , wherein the oxidizer-to-fuel ratio is about 4.5 to about 7.5. 
     
     
         14 . A monopropellant comprising nitrous oxide and acetylene in an oxidizer-to-fuel ration of about 2.5 to about 11.0. 
     
     
         15 . The monopropellant of  claim 14 , wherein the oxidizer-to-fuel ratio is about 3.0 to about 9.0. 
     
     
         16 . The monopropellant of  claim 15 , wherein the oxidizer-to-fuel ratio is about 4.0 to about 8.0. 
     
     
         17 . The monopropellant of  claim 16 , wherein the oxidizer-to-fuel ratio is about 4.5 to about 7.5. 
     
     
         18 . A monopropellant comprising nitrous oxide and two or more of acetylene, ethane or ethene in an oxidizer-to-fuel ratio of about 2.5 to about 11.0. 
     
     
         19 . The monopropellant of  claim 18 , wherein the oxidizer-to-fuel ratio is about 3.0 to about 9.0. 
     
     
         20 . The monopropellant of  claim 19 , wherein the oxidizer-to-fuel ratio is about 4.0 to about 8.0. 
     
     
         21 . The monopropellant of  claim 20 , wherein the oxidizer-to-fuel ratio is about 4.5 to about 7.5. 
     
     
         22 . The monopropellant of  claim 1 , wherein additional constituents comprise less than about 30% of the monopropellant. 
     
     
         23 . The monopropellant of  claim 2  comprising nitrous oxide and one or more of acetylene, ethane, or ethane where the fuel(s) are mixed with nitrous oxide in the gas phase during the manufacturing process prior to condensing into a liquid. 
     
     
         24 . The monopropellant of  claim 2  comprising nitrous oxide and one or more of acetylene, ethane, or ethane where the fuel(s) are mixed with nitrous oxide in the liquid phase during the manufacturing process 
     
     
         25 . The monopropellant of  claim 2  comprising nitrous oxide and one or more of acetylene, ethane, or ethane where the fuel(s) are mixed with nitrous oxide in any combination of gas and liquid phases during the manufacturing process.