Rahman ABDUL, Daniele TORTORICI, Antonella INGENITO, Sasi Kiran PALATEERDHAM
DOI Number: N/A
Conference number: HiSST-2025-324
This study investigates the performance of hybrid rocket engines using hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB), paraffin wax, and their blends at varying proportions, with gaseous oxygen as the oxidizer. Thermo-mechanical characterization of the fuels was conducted to support the combustion analysis. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) was used to examine the thermal decomposition behavior of the samples and to identify characteristic decomposition temperatures, while tensile testing determined key mechanical properties, including tensile strength, Young’s modulus, and elongation at break, providing insight into structural integrity under operational conditions. Ballistic performance tests were carried out to evaluate the combustion behavior of the fuels, focusing on regression rate, chamber pressure, thrust, and combustion efficiency. The performance of the blended fuels was compared with that of neat HTPB and paraffin, enabling assessment of the effect of blending on both combustion characteristics and material behavior. The results indicate that HTPB–paraffin blends have the potential to enhance hybrid rocket performance and contribute to the development of optimized fuel formulations for advanced hybrid propulsion systems.