Hydroxylammonium nitrate (HAN)-based green propellant as alternative energy resource for potential hydrazine substitution: From lab scale to pilot plant scale-up

Since 2000, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is involved in the research and development (R&D) of hydroxYlammonium nitrate (HAN)-based liquid monopropellant, SHP163 which is composed of HAN, ammonium nitrate (AN), methanol and water for its possible utilization as an alternative of hydrazine toxic component. The freezing point of SHP163 is much lower, the density and the density-Isp are higher than those of hydrazine. The toxicity of SHP163 is also lower than hydrazine, therefore easy handling. Moreover, SHP163 monopropellant showed stable burning rate measured by strand burner and its thermal decomposition of HAN-based occurred in two steps. However, the catalytic process showed a violent exothermic reaction of HAN-based in one step at low temperature onset around 65 C. The application of SHP163 on thruster firing tests showed that pressure slopes have been increased in the case of honeycomb catalysts and burning reactions have been improved by new synthesized Ir-CuO honeycomb catalyst. The obtained results on thruster 20 N type demonstrate that SHP163 is a good candidate as green propellant and proved the reason why it has been selected to be used as hydrazine alternative monopropellant for Innovative Satellite Technology project launched in 2016 by JAXA, Japan. (C) 2016 The Combustion Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.