Hypergolic Liquid Or Gel Fuel Mixtures

Abstract

Hypergolic liquid or gel fuel mixtures utilized in bipropellant propulsion systems are disclosed as replacements for fuels containing toxic mono-methylhydrazine. The fuel mixtures include one or more amine azides mixed with one or more tertiary diamine, tri-amine or tetra-amine compounds. The fuel mixtures include N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) mixed with 2-N,N-dimethylaminoethylazide (DMAZ), TMEDA mixed with tris(2-azidoethyl)amine (TAEA), and TMEDA mixed with one or more cyclic amine azides. Each hypergolic fuel mixture provides a reduced ignition delay for combining with an oxidant in fuel propellant systems. The fuel mixtures have advantages in reduced ignition delay times compared to ignition delay times for each unmixed component, providing a synergistic effect which was not predictable from review of each component's composition. Additional fuel mixtures include various tertiary diamine, tertiary tri-amine or tetra-amine compounds combined with one or more amine azides or imidic amide compounds, to provide clean burning, high performing, and non-toxic fuels.

1 . A hypergolic fuel mixture in a propulsion system comprising:
 a first component including a hypergolic amine azide compound; and   a second component including a hypergolic tertiary amine compound;   whereby said first and second components form a liquid or gel fuel mixture in the propulsion system.   
     
     
         2 . The hypergolic fuel mixture of  claim 1 , further comprising
 an oxidizer selected from the group consisting of inhibited red fuming nitric acid, nitrogen tetroxide, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxylammonium nitrate, and liquid oxygen.   
     
     
         3 . The hypergolic fuel mixture of  claim 1  wherein said first component is selected for the group consisting of: 
       2-(N,N-dimethylamino)ethylazide; 
       2-(N-cyclopropylamino)ethylazide; 
       bis(2-azidoethyl)methylamine; 
       bis(2-azidoethyl)ethylamine; 
       tris(2-azidoethyl)amine; 
       2-(N-pyrrolidinyl)ethylazide; 
       N-(2-azidoethyl)morpholine; and 
       1,2-bis(N-(2-azidoethyl)-N-methylamino)ethane. 
     
     
         4 . The hypergolic fuel mixture of  claim 1 , further comprising said second component including a tertiary diamine selected from the group consisting of: 
       N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine; 
       N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,3-diamino-propane; 
       N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,4-diamino-butane; 
       N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,4-diaminobut-2-ene; and 
       N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,4-diaminobut-2-yne. 
     
     
         5 . The hypergolic fuel mixture of  claim 1 , further comprising said second component including a tertiary tri-amine or tetra-amine compound selected from the group consisting of N,N,N′,N″,N″-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine, and hexamethyl-triethylene-tetra-amine. 
     
     
         6 . The hypergolic fuel mixture of  claim 1 , further comprising said first component is an amidine compound selected for the group consisting of: 
       1,5-Diaza-bicyclo(4.3.0)non-5-ene; 
       1,8-Diazabicyclo(5.4.1)undec-7-ene; 
       1-ethyl-2-methyl-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine; 
       1-methyl-2-ethyl-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine; 
       1-ethyl-2-methyl-4,5-dihydroimidazole; and 
       1-methyl-2-ethyl-4,5-dihydroimidazole. 
     
     
         7 . The hypergolic fuel mixture of  claim 1 , further comprising an additive gellant added to said first and second components in a proportion of between about 0.5% to about 10% additive relative to said first and second components thereby forming a gel fuel mixture, said additive gellant selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, clay, carbon, and polymeric gel. 
     
     
         8 . A hypergolic liquid or gel utilized in a fuel propulsion system comprising:
 a hypergolic fuel containing a mixture of a first component and a second component, including:   said first component includes one or more hypergolic amine azides of the general formula (R 1 )(R 2 )(R 3 )N, in which the composition of each R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  group is selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen, an aliphatic, alkene, alkyl, alkyne and cycloalkyl group, and at least one of each R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  group contains an azide compound;   said second component includes one or more hypergolic amines of the general formula R 4 R 5 N—R 6 —NR 7 R 8 , in which the composition of each R 4 , R 5 , R 7 , and R 8  group is an aliphatic group, and said R 6  group is selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic, alkene, alkyne, or cycloalkyl compound; and   an oxidizer mixed with said first component and said second component within the fuel propulsion system.   
     
     
         9 . The hypergolic liquid or gel of  claim 8  wherein said oxidizer is selected from the group consisting of inhibited red fuming nitric acid, nitrogen tetroxide, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxylammonium nitrate, and liquid oxygen. 
     
     
         10 . The hypergolic liquid or gel of  claim 8  wherein said first component including a selected first proportion of 2-(N,N-dimethylamino)ethylazide, mixed with said second component including a selected second proportion of N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine. 
     
     
         11 . The hypergolic liquid or gel of  claim 8  wherein said first component including a selected first proportion of tris(2-azidoethyl)amine, mixed with said second component including a selected second proportion of N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine. 
     
     
         12 . A hypergolic fuel mixture utilized in a propulsion system comprising:
 a first component including at least one of a hypergolic amine azide or an imidic amide compound;   a second component including at least one of a hypergolic tertiary amine compound; and   a source for inducing reaction of said first and second components, said source being an oxidizer;   whereby said first and second components are provided as a liquid or gel mixture combined with said oxidizer in the fuel propulsion system.   
     
     
         13 . The hypergolic fuel mixture of  claim 12 , further comprising said first component is selected from the group consisting of: 
       2-(N,N-dimethylamino)ethylazide; 
       2-(N-cyclopropylamino)ethylazide; 
       bis(2-azidoethyl)methylamine; 
       bis(2-azidoethyl)ethylamine; 
       tris(2-azidoethyl)amine; 
       2-(N-pyrrolidinyl)ethylazide; 
       N-(2-azidoethyl)morpholine; and 
       1,2-bis(N-(2-azidoethyl)-N-methylamino)ethane. 
     
     
         14 . The hypergolic fuel mixture of  claim 12 , further comprising said second component is selected from the group consisting of: 
       N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine; 
       N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,3-diamino-propane; 
       N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,4-diamino-butane; 
       N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,4-diaminobut-2-ene; 
       N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,4-diaminobut-2-yne; and 
       N,N,N′,N″,N″-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine. 
     
     
         15 . The hypergolic fuel mixture of  claim 12  wherein said source for inducing reaction is an oxidizer selected from the group consisting of inhibited red fuming nitric acid, nitrogen tetroxide, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxylammonium nitrate, and liquid oxygen. 
     
     
         16 . The hypergolic fuel mixture of  claim 12 , further comprising an additive gellant added to said first and second components in a proportion of between about 0.5% to about 10% additive relative to said first and second components thereby forming a gel fuel mixture, said additive gellant selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, clay, carbon, and polymeric gel. 
     
     
         17 . A process for producing a hypergolic propellant utilizable in a fuel propulsion system comprising:
 a step of adding a first component including a hypergolic amine azide compound;   a step of adding a second component including a hypergolic tertiary amine compound to said first component in a liquid or gel mixture; and   a step of adding an oxidizer for inducing reaction of said first and second components in said liquid or gel mixture in the fuel propulsion system.   
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 17  wherein said step of adding a first component includes a step of adding at least one amine azide compound selected from the group consisting of: 
       2-(N,N-dimethylamino)ethylazide; 
       2-(N-cyclopropylamino)ethylazide; 
       bis(2-azidoethyl)methylamine; 
       bis(2-azidoethyl)ethylamine; 
       tris(2-azidoethyl)amine; 
       2-(N-pyrrolidinyl)ethylazide; 
       N-(2-azidoethyl)morpholine; and 
       1,2-bis(N-(2-azidoethyl)-N-methylamino)ethane. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 17  wherein said step of adding a first component further including an additional step of adding at least one imidic amide compound selected from the group consisting of: 
       1,5-Diaza-bicyclo(4.3.0)non-5-ene; 
       1,8-Diazabicyclo(5.4.1)undec-7-ene; 
       1-ethyl-2-methyl-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine; 
       1-methyl-2-ethyl-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine; 
       1-ethyl-2-methyl-4,5-dihydroimidazole; and 
       1-methyl-2-ethyl-4,5-dihydroimidazole. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 17  wherein said step of adding a second component including a step of adding at least one tertiary amine compound selected from the group consisting of: 
       N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine; 
       N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,3-diamino-propane; 
       N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,3-diamino-propane; 
       N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,4-diamino-butane; 
       N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,4-diaminobut-2-ene; and 
       N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,4-diaminobut-2-yne. 
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 17  wherein said step of adding a second component further including an additional step of adding at least one tertiary tri-amine or tetra-amine compound selected from the group consisting of N,N,N′,N″,N″-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine, and hexamethyl-triethylene-tetra-amine. 
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 17  wherein said step of adding an oxidizer including said oxidizer selected from the group consisting of inhibited red fuming nitric acid, nitrogen tetroxide, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxylammonium nitrate, and liquid oxygen. 
     
     
         23 . The process of  claim 17  further comprising a step of adding an additive gellant to said first and second components in a proportion of between about 0.5% to about 10% additive relative to said first and second components thereby forming a gel fuel mixture, said additive gellant selected from the group consisting of silicon dioxide, clay, carbon, and polymeric gel. 
     
     
         24 . A hypergolic liquid or gel utilized in a fuel propulsion system comprising:
 a hypergolic fuel containing a mixture of a first component and a second component, including:   said first component including one or more hypergolic imidic amide compounds having a formula (R 1 )(R 2 )—N—(R 3 )C═N—(R 4 ), in which the composition of each R 1 , R 2 , R 3  and R 4  group is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, aliphatic, alkene, alkyl, alkyne, and cycloalkyl groups, and at least one of R 1 , R 2 , R 3  and R 4  groups contains an amidine group;   said second component including one or more hypergolic amines of the general formula R 5 R 6 N—R 7 —NR 8 R 9 , in which the composition of each R 5 , R 6 , R 8 , and R 9  group is an aliphatic group, and said R 7  group is selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic, alkene, alkyne, or cycloalkyl compound; and   an oxidizer mixed with said first component and said second component within the fuel propulsion system.   
     
     
         25 . The hypergolic liquid or gel of  claim 24  wherein said first component including a selected first proportion of said first component selected from the group consisting of, 1,5-Diaza-bicyclo(4.3.0)non-5-ene, 1,8-Diazabicyclo(5.4.1) undec-7-ene, 1-ethyl-2-methyl-1,4,5,6-tetra-hydropyrimidine, 1-methyl-2-ethyl-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine, 1-methyl-2-ethyl-4,5-dihydroimidazole, and 1-ethyl-2-methyl-4,5-dihydroimidazole; and
 said second component including a selected second proportion of N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-ethylenediamine or N,N,N′,N″,N″-pentamethyl-diethylenetriamine.