Lox/Kerosene

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LR-87-3 Engine Credit - Bob Fortune Propellant Formulation: LOX/Kerosene. Optimum Oxidizer to Fuel Ratio: 2.56. Temperature of Combustion: 3,670 deg K. Ratio of Specific Heats: 1.24. Density: 1.02 g/cc. Characteristic velocity c: 1,805 m/s (5,921 ft/sec). Isp Shifting: 301 sec. Isp Frozen: 286 sec. Pp Isp Shifting: 307. Mol: 23.30 M (76.40 ft). Isp (sl): 300. Isp (vac): 353. Propellant Formulation: Lox/Sintin. Oxidizer: LOX. Oxidizer Density: 1.140 g/cc. Oxidizer Freezing Point: -219 deg C. Oxidizer Boiling Point: -183 deg C. Liquid oxygen was the earliest, cheapest, safest, and eventually the preferred oxidiser for large space launchers. Its main drawback is that it is moderately cryogenic, and therefore not suitable for military uses where storage of the fuelled missile and quick launch are required. Liquid oxygen, as normally supplied, is of 99.5 percent purity and is covered in the United States by Military Specification MIL-P-25508. High purity liquid oxygen has a light blue colour and is transparent. It has no characteristic odour. Liquid oxygen does not burn, but will support combustion vigorously. The liquid is stable; however, mixtures of fuel and liquid oxygen are shock-sensitive. Gaseous oxygen can form mixtures with fuel vapours that can be exploded by static electricity, electric spark, or flame. Liquid oxygen is obtained from air by fractional distillation. The 1959 United. States production of high-purity oxygen was estimated at nearly 2 million tonnes. The cost of liquid oxygen, at that time, ex-works, was $ 0.04 per kg. By the 1980's NASA was paying $ 0.08 per kg. Fuel: Kerosene. Fuel Density: 0.806 g/cc. Fuel Freezing Point: -73 deg C. Fuel Boiling Point: 147 deg C. In January 1953 Rocketdyne commenced the REAP program to develop a number of improvements to the engines being developed for the Navaho and Atlas missiles. Among these was development of a special grade of kerosene suitable for rocket engines. Prior to that any number of rocket propellants derived from petroleum had been used. Goddard had begun with gasoline, and there were experimental engines powered by kerosene, diesel oil, paint thinner, or jet fuel kerosene JP-4 or JP-5. The wide variance in physical properties among fuels of the same class led to the identification of narrow-range petroleum fractions, embodied in 1954 in the standard US kerosene rocket fuel RP-1, covered by Military Specification MIL-R-25576. In Russia, similar specifications were developed for kerosene under the specifications T-1 and RG-1. The Russians also developed a compound of unknown formulation in the 1980's known as 'Sintin', or synthetic kerosene. Rocket propellant RP-1 is a straight-run kerosene fraction, which is subjected to further treatment, i.e., acid washing, sulphur dioxide extraction. Thus, unsaturated substances which polymerise in storage are removed, as are sulphur-containing hydrocarbons. Furthermore, in order to meet specification requirements of density, heat of combustion, and aromatic content, the kerosene must be obtained from crudes with a high naphthene content. RP-1 is an excellent solvent for many organic materials. The flash point is above 43 deg C. Above that temperature RP-1 will form explosive mixtures with air. The temperature range for explosive mixtures (rich limit) is 79 to 85 deg C. RP-1 is not so toxic as the JP series of fuels because of its lower aromatic content. In the United States, suitable kerosene fractions in 1960 were limited almost exclusively to the West Coast. The estimated 1956 United States production was 7700 tonnes, and the price was $0.05 per kg. By the 1980's it was typically $ 0.20 per kg. Russian formulations have typical densities of 0.82 to 0.85 g/cc, and even higher densities were achieved in the N1 and Soyuz 11A511U rockets by superchilling the fuel prior to loading. Engines Using Lox/Kerosene Motor Thrust(vac) kN Thrust(sl) kN Isp sec Isp (sl) sec Designed for Status NK-19         First Stages Development ended 1964 RD-117PF         First Stages Design concept NK-21     318   Upper Stages Out of production KSR-3   122.500     First Stages In development L-1 Linear Aerospike Booster   889.360   455     KS-50           Development 1948 RPD-04         First Stages Out of Production B-2C   1,374.000   248     S-3D   600.100   247     L-2 Linear Aerospike Booster   444.630   455     MB-3-J   755.890   262   Out of production RS-76   4,002.000   308     RD-0155   902.500   296 First Stages Design concept 2007 Liberty   18.900   245 First Stages Development 1994-2006 RS-34 Attitude Control 0.304   255       P4-1 Sustainer 0.470   262       P4-1 Booster 2.441   232       S5.80.1100-0 2.940       Upper Stages Developed 1990s LR101-11 5.300 4.499 246 209 First Stages In Production XR4K14 6.670       First stages Hardware XR4K5 8.000       First stages Hardware RS-36 Sustainer 9.210   262       AABS 17.779   285       RD-161-1 19.600   360   Upper Stages Development ended 2000 RD-802 19.600   344   Upper Stages Design concept 2007 RD-161-2 19.900   365   Upper Stages Design concept 1990's Rotary Rocket 22.250       First stages Developed in 1990's Microcosm 22N 22.250       First stages Hardware S1.35800 30.000       First Stages Out of Production Kestrel 33.300   325   Upper stages Hardware RD-0103 34.600   277   First Stages Out of Production RD-0102 39.200   260   First Stages Out of Production FastTrack 44.100   348   First Stages Design concept RD-0105 49.400   316   Upper Stages Out of production RD-0109 54.520   324   Upper Stages Out of production 8D726 66.700   350   Upper Stages   S1.5400 66.700   340   Upper Stages   S1.5400A 67.300   342   Upper Stages   RD-58Z 71.000   361   Upper Stages Developed 1981-1990 RD-8 78.400   342   Upper Stages In Production RD-58 83.400   349   Upper Stages   RD-58M 83.400   353   Upper Stages In production RD-58MF 83.400   353   Upper Stages In Production RD-58S 86.300   361   Upper Stages   17D11 86.300   362   Upper Stages Out of Production 17D12 86.300   362   Upper Stages Out of Production RD-809 88.000   345   Upper Stages Design concept 2007 Microcosm 89N 89.000       First stages Hardware S2.253 derivative 93.200   250 217 First Stages Study 1953 RD-0242-HC 125.000   312   First Stages Developed 1998- X-405 134.800 123.800 270 248 First Stages   RD-0245-HC 214.000   320   First Stages Design concept 1990's Liberty-1 245.200 208.800 270 230 First Stages Development ended 1988 Press Fed 25k 245.200 208.800 270 230 First Stages Design concept 1960's Fastrac 269.000   310   First Stages Development ended 1996 RD-0124 294.300   359 331 Upper Stages In development RD-0124M 294.300   348   Upper Stages Developed 1998- RD-0124M1 294.300   359   Upper Stages Developed 1998- RD-0154 294.300     363 Upper Stages Design concept 2007 RD-0107 297.900   326   Upper Stages Out of Production RD-0108 297.900   326   Upper Stages   RD-0110 297.900   326   Upper Stages   RD-0124-14D23 298.640   331   First Stages Designed 1986-1990 RD-0106 304.000   330   Upper Stages   RD-134R 343.000       Upper Stages Design concept 1993-on RD-134 343.000   357   Upper Stages Design concept LR91-3 355.900 242.600 308   Upper Stages Study 1957 Microcosm 356N 356.000       First stages Hardware XLR105-5 363.200 252.700 309 215 First Stages   LR105-3 375.000 267.000 308 220 First Stages Out of Production Merlin 1A 378.000           Merlin 378.040 317.700 310 261 First stages Hardware LR105-7 386.400 269.000 316 220 First Stages Out of production LR105-5 386.400 269.000 316 220 First Stages   RS-56-OSA 386.400 269.000 316 220 First Stages Out of production NK-9V-11D54 392.000   340 312 Upper Stages Out of Production NK-39 402.000   352   Upper Stages Development ended 1971 NK-31 402.000   353   First Stages Study 1993 S-4 412.800       Upper stages Design ca. 1957 NK-9 441.300 360.390 327 280 First Stages   NK-9V 441.300 360.390 340 312 Upper Stages   NK-9V-11D53 449.000   340 312 Upper Stages Out of Production RD-0234-HC 516.000   331 310 First Stages Developed 1996- RD-0210-HC 592.000   342   Upper Stages Design concept 1990's XLR83-NA-1 602.000 533.700 273 242 First Stages Out of production 11D53F 612.000   346   Upper Stages Study 1965 RD-105 627.600 539.000 302 260 First Stages Out of Production RD-106 645.300 519.000 310 250 First Stages Out of Production LR83-NA-1 683.000 602.000 282 248 First Stages Development ended 1958 RD-0244-HC 690.000   332   First Stages Design concept 1990's LR87-3 733.900 647.900 290 256 First Stages Study 1957 11D53M 735.000   347   Upper Stages Study 1965 MB-3 Press Mod 755.100 662.400 285 250 First Stages Test 1962 XLR89-1 758.700 667.200 282 248 First Stages Out of production S-3 758.700 667.200 282 248 First Stages Study 1959 LR79-7 758.700 667.200 282 248 First Stages Out of production. XLR89-5 758.700 667.200 282 248 First Stages   MB-3-1 760.600 667.200 285 250 First Stages Out of production RD-120.01 784.000   329   Upper Stages Design concept RD-108-8D77 804.000 628.000 315 246 First Stages Out of Production RD-0256-HC 820.000   344   Upper Stages Design concept 1996- LR89-5 822.500 726.000 290 256 First Stages   RD-120 833.000   350   Upper Stages In production RZ.2 836.300 735.500 282 248 First Stages   RD-120M 850.400   331 304 First Stages Out of Production MB-3-3 866.700 756.100 290 253 First Stages Out of Production RD-120K 873.000 866.900 336 298 First Stages Design 1994 X-1 880.440           RD-120.03 882.000   353   Upper Stages Design concept RD-146 883.000       Upper Stages Design concept 1993-on RD-108-8D75 912.000 713.600 308 241 First Stages   RD-108-8D75PS 912.000 713.600 308 241 First Stages Out of Production RD-108-8D75K 941.000 740.400 315 248 First Stages   RD-108-8D75-1959 941.000   315 248 First Stages Out of production RD-108-8D75-1958 941.000 731.200 315 246 First Stages Out of production H-1 947.700 836.200 289 255 First Stages   LR89-7 948.000 835.100 294 259 First Stages Out of production RD-107-8D74 971.000 793.200 306 250 First Stages   RD-107-8D76 971.000 789.200 310 252 First Stages Out of Production RD-107-8D74PS 971.000 793.200 306 250 First Stages Out of Production RD-108-8D727K 976.000   316   Upper Stages Out of Production RD-108-8D727 977.000   316 251 First Stages   RDKS-100 980.000   285   First Stages Developed 1946-51 RKDS-100 980.000   285 252 First Stages Design 1946 RD-107-11D511 992.000 821.600 314 257 First Stages Design 2000 RD-107-8D728 996.000 818.800 314 257 First Stages   RD-107-8D74K 996.000 814.000 313 256 First Stages   RD-107-8D74-1959 996.000   313 256 First Stages Out of production RD-107-8D74-1958 996.000 806.400 312 254 First Stages Out of production RD-107-11D511P 996.400 768.800 314 257 First Stages Out of production RD-108-11D512 997.000 746.400 315 248 First Stages Design 2000 RD-118 999.601   311 245 First Stages In production RD-108-11D512P 1,011.000 788.400 319 252 First Stages Out of production RD-117 1,021.097   310 264 First Stages In production RS-27 1,023.000 915.500 295 264 First Stages Out of production H-1b 1,030.200 911.900 296 262 First Stages   RS-56-OBA 1,046.800 920.800 299 263 First Stages Out of production RS-27C 1,054.200 890.100 302 255 First Stages   RS-27A 1,054.200 890.100 302 255 First Stages   H-1c 1,130.000   296 262 First Stages Study 1965 YF-120t 1,340.200 1,200.000 336 301 First Stages In development D-2 1,373.000   288 240 First Stages Out of Production RD-110 1,374.000 1,176.000 285 244 First Stages Development ended 1949 Sanger-Bredt 1,428.800 980.600 306 210 First Stages Study 1943 8D415K 1,471.000       First Stages Developed 1960- NK-15 1,544.000 1,526.000 318 297 First Stages Development ended 1964 RD-111 1,628.000 1,385.000 317 275 First Stages   NK-33 1,638.000 1,510.200 331 297 First Stages Design 1975 NK-15V 1,648.000   325   First Stages Development ended 1964 NK-43 1,755.000 1,247.800 346 246 Upper Stages Design 1975 E-1 1,884.592 1,689.600 290 260 First Stages Study 1957 RS-X 1,890.000       First Stages Design concept -1997 11D51F 1,918.000   331 296 First Stages Study 1965 11D52F 1,961.000   347   Upper Stages Study 1965 RD-191M 1,976.000   338   First Stages Developed 1996- RD-191 2,079.000   337 311 First Stages In development MA-5A 2,100.000 1,865.900 296 263 First Stages Out of Production NK-15F 2,180.000   350 290 First Stages Development 1966-1972 11D52M 2,745.000   330 296 Upper Stages Study 1965 11D51M 2,843.000   346   First Stages Study 1965 RLA-300 3,187.000       Upper Stages Design 1974 RD-180 4,152.000 3,828.000 338 311 First Stages In production TR-107 4,900.000           RS-84 5,159.000 4,665.000 335 301 First Stages Development ended 2005 RLA-600 6,370.000       First Stages Design 1972 F-1 7,740.500 6,747.500 304 265 First Stages   RD-170 7,903.000 7,550.000 337 309 First Stages Development ended 1976 RD-171 7,903.000 7,550.000 337 309 First Stages In production RD-174 7,905.000       First Stages Developed 1995- RD-173 8,181.000   337 311 First Stages Design concept 1990's RD-172 8,354.000   337 311 First Stages Developed -1994 F-1A 9,189.600 8,003.800 310 270 First Stages Study 1968 RLA-1200 12,700.000       First Stages Design 1974 PF RP-1 20,306.000   275 253 First Stages Study 1967 5 mlbf RP-4 24,459.000   299 260 First Stages Study 1963 L-6.55 31,010.000   330 310 First Stages Study 1963 L-7.70 37,007.000   335 310 First Stages Study 1963 Sea Dragon-1 356,900.000   290 200 First Stages Design, 1962 Contact us with any corrections, additions, or comments. 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