College of Engineering

Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering

Current and Recent Research

In the sections below are brief descriptions of current and recently conducted research programs at the CCL. In general, research at the CCL has been conducted over a number of years in the areas of ...

• Cryogenic bipropellants
• Flow reactor / auto-ignition
• Monopropellants
• Hypergols
• Novel hybrid and solid propellants
• Supercritical fuel pyrolysis and combustion
• Nano-energetic / catalytic additives

Supercritical Pyrolysis and Combustion

This research aims to understand the fundamental effects of colloidal nanostructured materials on the supercritical pyrolysis, injection, ignition, and combustion of hydrocarbon fuels/propellants. As a fuel additive, functionalized graphene sheets (FGS) without or with the decoration of metal catalysts, such as platinum (Pt) or polyoxometalates (POM) nanoparticles, were examined against conventional materials including nanometer sized fumed silica and aluminum particles. Supercritical pyrolysis experiments, supercritical injection and combustion experiments, and ReaxFF molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were utilized as part of this research. These results demonstrate that a low mass loading of a high surface area material employed either as an additive or a means of distributing another additive can significantly enhance, and be used to tailor, the conversion of liquid hydrocarbon fuels/propellants under supercritical conditions, resulting in reduced ignition delay time and improved combustion. Such enhancements benefit practical propulsion systems which require high conversion efficiency in a short residence time.