Propulsion choices for the ALSR

[gas pumper]

I have no experiance directly with these fuels, but occasionaly run into Sammy Miller, son of Sam Miller. He claims that the proper handling of Peroxide is the issue with it that gave it a bad reputation. He currently uses it in his business of steaming the ground in oilfields, this thins out the heavy oils and alows it to be recovered.

Sam never had any problems running this fuel, but a lot of others had disasters with it.

[martine]

Any energetic oxidizer is dangerous in an enclosed space.  The Apollo crew would not have been saved by using HTP, RFNA, or NT; the culprit was our lack of understanding of the danger posed by 100% oxygen atmospheres under G.  At zero G it turned out to be a non issue.

Sorry to resurrect this old thread but I'm new here and just catching up! 

That's interesting - why does G have any affect on how dangerous LOX is?

[hotrod]

I believe the issue was the system pressures used. Under zero G conditions the space craft was designed to have 100% O2 atmosphere at 4.8-3.5 psi.
On the pad they were using 100% O2 at 14.7 psi. Very different fire environment.

Also as determined in space station experiments under zero G flames behave very differently than they do in a normal gravity environment.

http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/apollo1info.html

http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistryfaqs/f/firegravity.htm

[manta22]

The Germans used 85% hydrogen peroxide, called "T-Stoffe", in their ME-163 rocket fighter. Handling the stuff was hazardous and required rubber suits to protect the crew during refueling.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[kiwi belly tank]

The Germans used 85% hydrogen peroxide, called "T-Stoffe", in their ME-163 rocket fighter. Handling the stuff was hazardous and required rubber suits to protect the crew during refueling.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

They didn't have OSHA, they had Adolf
  Sid.

[hotrod]

As I recall, if they crashed on take off the HTP fuel had a nasty habit of dissolving the pilot if there were fuel leaks.

[Malcolm UK]

I think the pilot may have to have been dead before the HTP would react with a clothed body and oxidise it completely.

The horror stories abound in the handling of this oxidant but using care, clean non reactive containers, safety water deluge and covering skin and protecting eyes does keep the job safe, with ambient temperature unpressurised product.  Slight contamination by touching materials which have been sprayed with unreacted HTP may cause the skin on fingers to go white - you notice this before the skin temperature rises .  Sluicing with water stops the reaction taking place and then it is just like bleaching hair.

After WWII the British rocketeers were even talking of putting hands into drums of HTP (before rapidly washing it off) without ill effects.  Once pressurised the HTP spray could be more of a risk and organic materials react and then burn, so soles of shoes can get a bit warm and melt/catch fire.

Because it can be used as a monopropellant or as the oxidant in a hybrid system HTP has been used across the world in rockets and in Russian torpedos.  {The Kursk however was lost through a faulty HTP torpedo episode so do take care.}