Naked Science Forum

General Science => General Science => Topic started by: Naufal the B. S. on 22/07/2009 12:12:12

Title: Can calcium carbide be used as rocket fuel?
Post by: Naufal the B. S. on 22/07/2009 12:12:12: Can I use Calcium Carbide as rocket fuel?
How can I make it?
Title: Re: Can calcium carbide be used as rocket fuel?
Post by: Mazurka on 22/07/2009 12:55:50: If you add water to calcium carbide, it produces acetylene, so in principle you could use it as a rocket fuel. Whether it is practical or not is a differnt question...
Title: Re: Can calcium carbide be used as rocket fuel?
Post by: Bored chemist on 22/07/2009 19:47:57: Since acetylene is noted for exploding under pressure (even without oxygen) it would be a poor choice for a rocket fuel.
Also, the reaction of carbide with water produces a sludgy mess which will bung up the rocket nozzle.
Title: Re: Can calcium carbide be used as rocket fuel?
Post by: Make it Lady on 22/07/2009 21:22:58: Can you explain more about your rocketeering Naufal. I luff backyard rockets.
Title: Re: Can calcium carbide be used as rocket fuel?
Post by: Naufal the B. S. on 23/07/2009 10:22:00: So... The calcium carbide fuel is liquid!

Mean... I just pour the calcium carbide (liquid) into my rocket and...

How can I ignite the liquid CaC2!?
Title: Re: Can calcium carbide be used as rocket fuel?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 23/07/2009 10:32:48: Huh? Have you been reading the posts in this thread??
Title: Re: Can calcium carbide be used as rocket fuel?
Post by: Naufal the B. S. on 23/07/2009 10:43:13: Quote from: Make it Lady on 22/07/2009 21:22:58
Can you explain more about your rocketeering Naufal. I luff backyard rockets.
This is my second rocketry project. The first project was
to fail(messy rocket). I choose the CaC2 for my Calcium Carbide, because I don't want monitored by government(blackpowder fuel...). And the CaC2 is more easily to get it than blackpowder.

And I'm planning to make 1 pack matches + aluminium foil!

And the conclusion, I'm newbie.

How do you do?
Title: Re: Can calcium carbide be used as rocket fuel?
Post by: Naufal the B. S. on 23/07/2009 10:47:58: Quote from: Chemistry4me on 23/07/2009 10:32:48
Huh? Have you been reading the posts in this thread??
What's your purpose!?
Title: Re: Can calcium carbide be used as rocket fuel?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 23/07/2009 10:55:46: You're not burning the calcium carbide, rather the ethyne.
Title: Re: Can calcium carbide be used as rocket fuel?
Post by: Bored chemist on 23/07/2009 19:44:24: "I just pour the calcium carbide (liquid) into my rocket and..."
Calcium carbide melts at about 2200C. Steel melts at about 1600C
What, exactly, are you going to make this rocket out of?

You clearly have so little idea of what you are doing that you should stop before you hurt someone- most probably yourself.
Title: Can calcium carbide be used as rocket fuel?
Post by: chris on 23/07/2009 21:14:46: BC - what is the basis of acetylene exploding under pressure? What's going on when this happens?
Title: Can calcium carbide be used as rocket fuel?
Post by: wolfekeeper on 23/07/2009 23:12:21: From a quick web search I think it just prefers to be hydrogen and carbon and if you put it under pressure it has more chances to convert, and it's exothermic, and high temperatures increase the rate of conversion.

Boom!
Title: Can calcium carbide be used as rocket fuel?
Post by: Naufal the B. S. on 23/07/2009 23:53:09: What! 2200oC!
Wow, the air will make high pressure.

Btw, how much temperature is the blackpowder rocket?

Once again, are the matches rocket will explode, if I put +30 matches in the aluminium foil.
Title: Can calcium carbide be used as rocket fuel?
Post by: wolfekeeper on 24/07/2009 00:23:44: 2200C isn't hot for a rocket, combustion is usually nearer to 3500K/3200C.
Title: Can calcium carbide be used as rocket fuel?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 24/07/2009 05:18:36: Quote from: Naufal the B. S. on 23/07/2009 23:53:09
Once again, are the matches rocket will explode, if I put +30 matches in the aluminium foil.
I'm not sure what you're saying but NO, it will not.
Title: Can calcium carbide be used as rocket fuel?
Post by: Bored chemist on 24/07/2009 06:56:49: Quote from: wolfekeeper on 24/07/2009 00:23:44
2200C isn't hot for a rocket, combustion is usually nearer to 3500K/3200C.

So what?
Did you actually read what I posted? It was a question but nobody has answered it yet.
Title: Can calcium carbide be used as rocket fuel?
Post by: wolfekeeper on 24/07/2009 09:36:43: Quote from: Naufal the B. S. on 23/07/2009 10:43:13
Quote from: Make it Lady on 22/07/2009 21:22:58
Can you explain more about your rocketeering Naufal. I luff backyard rockets.
This is my second rocketry project. The first project was
to fail(messy rocket). I choose the CaC2 for my Calcium Carbide, because I don't want monitored by government(blackpowder fuel...). And the CaC2 is more easily to get it than blackpowder.

And I'm planning to make 1 pack matches + aluminium foil!

And the conclusion, I'm newbie.

How do you do?
Trying to invent your own rocket fuel is *extremely* dangerous and anyway very unlikely to give good results.

Anyway do a search for cpropep web- this is an online service for predicting the performance of propellants mixes- but you should stay away from acetylene.

FWIW I once read a discussion where rocket engineers where trying to come up with the least practical (but highest performance) propellant mix. The mix they came up with was liquid ozone and acetylene. Either propellant on its own is a notoriously touchy explosive ;-) Nobody was ever insane enough to try it.

Stay away from acetylene!!!
Title: Can calcium carbide be used as rocket fuel?
Post by: Naufal the B. S. on 24/07/2009 11:26:17: So... I'm a first man which use the acetylene for rocket!

Wow, I'm an inventor! Just kidding [:D]

Why it *extremly* dangerous!?

I'm curiousty. And I'll get the CaC2 easily than BP.
Title: Can calcium carbide be used as rocket fuel?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 24/07/2009 11:36:30: Quote
samples of concentrated or pure acetylene will explosively decompose. Acetylene can explode with extreme violence if the pressure of the gas exceeds about 200 kPa (39 psi) as a gas or when in liquid or solid form.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylene#Safety_and_handling
Title: Can calcium carbide be used as rocket fuel?
Post by: Naufal the B. S. on 24/07/2009 11:43:54: Will the pressure aim down because of nozzle?
Title: Can calcium carbide be used as rocket fuel?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 24/07/2009 11:46:39: If that is how you have designed the rocket then yes, most likely it will.
Title: Kno3a
Post by: Naufal the B. S. on 25/07/2009 01:55:58: So... Will it aim to me and everybody around me?
Title: Can calcium carbide be used as rocket fuel?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 25/07/2009 02:58:21: Umm...if you're rocket is badly designed, yes, it will.
Title: Is the bernoulli concept...a
Post by: Naufal the B. S. on 25/07/2009 03:19:36: Btw, what's the good material for my rocket? I'm planning with 15 cm pvc, cardboard fins, and... I've been confused with the nozzle.
Title: Can calcium carbide be used as rocket fuel?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 25/07/2009 03:26:15: Ah, you have finally answered the previously unanswered question.
I think you should just give up right now.
Title: Is the bernoulli concept...at
Post by: Naufal the B. S. on 25/07/2009 03:33:37: What's your meaning? Master