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Space Forum / Space Flight / July 2006Sugar/Potassium Nitrate rockets
I read that the Kassam rockets are fueled by a combination of sugar and fertilizer. Anyone know how good a fuel it is? ISP numbers? How does it compare to other solid fuels? Have amateur rocket builders used this fuel in the past? Seems like a cheap way to make a solid rocket. Google is your friend. I have used this and other amatures (not this group) have too. It can be inconsitant and its ISP downright stinks. But its fun and cheap providing you learn your chemistry and safty *first*. delt0r > I read that the Kassam rockets are fueled by a combination of sugar and > fertilizer. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Seems like a cheap way to make a solid rocket. I think the rocket is a bit more complex than that, as i have built Sugar rockets and i am pretty sure we were never going to be able to launch any type of heavy payload like that anywhere near the range that the kassam rockets have. but i did see something about them using fertilizer, sugar diesel fuel and something else. i will ask some arab firends of mine there probably is a arabic website with instructions on how to make them. Peace Zonker http://2000ah.blogspot.com > I read that the Kassam rockets are fueled by a combination of sugar and > fertilizer. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Seems like a cheap way to make a solid rocket. > I read that the Kassam rockets are fueled by a combination of sugar and > fertilizer. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Seems like a cheap way to make a solid rocket. kassam Rockets are a bit more complex than that, diesel is actually added to the fuel, but they do not release the formula as they are worried that isreal will make sure they cannot get key componets if they do. i have built sugar rockets before and there is no way you could use it to launch war heads that distance. peace Zonker http://2000ah.blogspot.com > Have amateur rocket builders used this fuel in the past? Google delivers instant hits on sugar/potassium nitrate model rocket engines. Two quick examples: http://www.jamesyawn.com/rcandy/index.htm http://yarchive.net/explosives/rocket/caramel_haz.html Mike Miller > I read that the Kassam rockets are fueled by a combination of sugar and > fertilizer. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Seems like a cheap way to make a solid rocket. Yes KNO3 and sugar has been used as an amateur rocket propellent. It is also called caramel candy propellent as the sugar is first melted then the KNO3 added slowly and mixed. The propellent is then cast into the motor casing or a mold. It is not used today because of several disadvantages. (1) It provides little improvement over black powder as far as ISP. (2) You have to heat it to the melting point of the sugar to cast it. (3) It is brittle, and grains larger than one or two inches tend to crack, and the rocket CATOs on firing.  SignatureMike Swift Two things only the people anxiously desire, bread and circuses. Decimus Junius Juvenalls When I was a kid in the early 70's I had a paperback book that was called "A guide to amateur rocketry" that had plans for rockets that used a "carmel candy" propellent based on sugar/Potassium Nitrate. You would melt it in an oven and pour the mix into the rocket casing. The rockets were about 4' long and describes as capable of reaching 15-20,000 ft. I think the book was written by an army captain. The other fuel it described was a zinc/sulfur mix. I don't remember any ISP numbers after all this time. I haven't seen the book in at least 20 years, saw it listed on bookfinder for $48 John Hartley www.hotmoon.org > I read that the Kassam rockets are fueled by a combination of sugar and > fertilizer. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Seems like a cheap way to make a solid rocket. > When I was a kid in the early 70's I had a paperback book that was > called "A guide to amateur rocketry" that had plans for rockets that [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > ISP numbers after all this time. I haven't seen the book in at least > 20 years, saw it listed on bookfinder for $48 The book you are thinking of is probably "Rocket Manual for Amateurs" by Capt. Bertrand R. Brinley; (C) 1960. (No ISBN number.) I read that book back in the early 70's too. The copy I read went missing sometime in the last few decades, so a year ago I managed to buy a used copy online via one of the used book sellers who sell through Amazon.com. Brinley did not give any ISP numbers for the "caramel candy" propellant but did specify a theoretical ISP of 46 sec for zinc/sulfur at a chamber pressure of 1000 PSI. However, that was after a correction factor of 50% - the uncorrected ISP would have been 92 sec. (The stated reason for the correction factor was because one of the exhaust products, zinc sulfide, has a heat sublimation at the flame temperature, so that it would not expand to produce thrust. But Brinley pointed out that at that time it wasn't clear to what extent that happened, if at all.) |
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