Effect of RP-1 Compositional Variability on Thermal Conductivity at High Temperatures and High Pressures

The thermal conductivity of rocket propellant RP-1 has been measured with a ooaxial-cylinder (steady- state) technique, Measurements were made in the temperature range from 292 to 732 K and at. pressures up to 60 MPa. The expanded uncertainties of thermal conductivity, pressure, and temperature measurements, at the 95% confidence level with I coverage factor of k = 2 were estimated to be 2%, 0.05%, and 30 mK, respectively. The thermal conductivity data for RP-1 reported in this work do not include the correction to radiation. Therefore, the uncertainty of the data is larger than 2%. The onset of the effects of thermal decomposition (chemical reaction) on the thermal conductivity of RP-1 at temperatures was found above approximately 650 K, The measured values of thermal conductivity were compared with the data reported in the literature and with the values calculated from a correlation equation. The average absolute deviation (AAD) between the present data and the values reported in the literature was 1.0%. Ail empirical model was developed to predict the thermal conductivity of RP-1 (within 2.0%) with just. the thermal conductivity values as a function of pressure at reference temperature T-0 = 293 K, lambda(0)(P), as input.