Combustion and Thermal Decomposition Research on 1,2‐Dicyclopropyl‐1‐Methyl Cyclopropane (DMCP) as High Energy Fuel for Liquid Rocket Propellants

Abstract 1,2‐Dicyclopropyl‐1‐methyl cyclopropane (DMCP) was found a high‐energy liquid hydrocarbon propellant. A model combustion chamber was designed and manufactured to investigate the combustion performance of DMCP and Chinese rocket kerosene (RK) in comparison. Due to the higher density of DMCP, its orifice flow coefficient was 3.4 % larger than that of RK. The chamber pressure fluctuation amplitude of DMCP was within 10 % of the average pressure value. Under typical conditions, the flame intensity of DMCP combustion flame was more intense than that of RK. When the mixture ratios varied from 2.0–2.8, the characteristic velocity changes of DMCP were between 1626 m/s and 1636 m/s. It was not apparent that the characteristic velocity of DMCP was affected by the change of mixture ratio. The combustion efficiency of DMCP increased with the rise of its mixture ratio (varying between 0.902 and 0.921), higher than that of RK in a low mixture ratio. The apparent activation energy values (E) of DMCP were 202.0 kJ ⋅ mol −1 and 202.9 kJ ⋅ mol −1 , respectively, according to Kissinger and Flynn‐Wall‐Ozawa (FWO) equations.