AIAA-01-3250

AIAA-01-3250
Advancements in High Concentration
Hydrogen Peroxide Catalyst Beds
M. C. Ventura, E. J. Wernimont
General Kinetics LLC, Lake Forest, CA
July, 2001

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AIAA-01-3250

Summary
Compare 90% and 98% H2O2
H2O2 Catalyst Bed Requirements
98% H2O2 Catalyst Bed Issues
98% H2O2 Catalyst Bed Options
98% H2O2 Catalyst Beds
98% H2O2 Test Set-Up
98% H2O2 Test Data & Summary
Conclusions
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AIAA-01-3250
Comparison of 90% and 98% H2O2
MIL-P-16005E MIL-P-16005E FMC Type 90 FMC Type 98
(mg/l) (mg/kg) (mg/kg) (mg/kg)
H2O2 Assay % by wt. 90.0 to 91.0 90.0 to 91.0 90.0 to 92.0 98.0 to 99.0
Aluminum 0.5 max 0.35 max 0.2 max 0.25 max
Chloride 1.0 max 0.7 max 0.3 max 0.35 max
Ammonium 3.0 max 2.2 max 2.2 max 2.1 max
Nitrate 5.0 max 3.5 max 3.5 max 3.5 max
3.0 min 2.2 min 2.2 min 2.1 min
Phosphate 0.2 max 0.15 max 0.15 max 0.14 max
Sulfate 3.0 max 2.2 max 0.3 max 0.35 max
Tin 4.0 max 2.9 max 2.9 max 2.7 max
1.0 min 0.7 min 1.0 min 0.7 min
Carbon 200 max 145 max 30 max 30 max
Evaporative residue 20 max 15 max 15 max 14 max
Stability 2% max 98% min 98% min 98% min
Particulate 1.0 max 0.7 max 0.7 max 0.6 max
Chromium 0.02 max 0.02 max
Lead 0.02 max 0.02 max
Manganese 0.02 max 0.02 max
Iron 0.03 max 0.035 max
Copper 0.02 max 0.02 max
Nickel 0.02 max 0.02 max

Weight % of H2O2
Weight % of H2O2 Property 90 98
Property 90 98 Density (lbm/gal.) 11.57 11.95
Mole fraction of H2O 0.7076 0.6748 Boiling point, 1 atm (deg. F) 286.2 299.2
Mole fraction of O2 0.2924 0.3252 Freezing point, 1atm (deg. F) 11.3 27.5
Ave. Molecular Weight 22.1 22.57 Vapor pressure, 77 deg. F mm Hg 3.8 2.2
Gamma 1.266 1.251 Viscosity, 77 deg. F centipoise 1.153 1.155
Temperature (deg. F) 1364 1735 Surface tension, 68 deg. F dynes/cm 79.3 80.2
Heat of Vaporization, 77 deg. F Btu/lb 700.3 662.0

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AIAA-01-3250
H2O2 Catalyst Bed Requirements
Overview
Life: 1-2 hrs., > 5000 cycles
Mass flux: 0.1 to > 0.4 lbm/sec-sq. in
Fluid temperature: 40 to > 150 degrees F
Operating pressure: 100 to > 1000 psia
Environment: Vibration & shock
Pressure drop: < 100 to 300 psid
Cost, reliability, mass, transients, etc
Adiabatic Decomposition Temperature of H2O2
Silver based screen packs are a good fit for
2000
1900 90% H2O2 and these requirements
1800
1700
1600 98% H2O2 catalyst should be comparable to
Temperature (deg. F)

1500
1400
1300
silver based catalysts with respect to generally
1200
1100
1000
meeting requirements
900
800
700
Primary challenge is higher operating
600
500 temperature
400
300
200
70 75 80 85 90 95 100
Weight % of H2O2

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AIAA-01-3250
98% H2O2 Catalyst Bed Issues
Effect of Feed Temperature and Pressure on Adiabatic
Decomposition Temperature, 90% H2O2

98% H2O2 has ~ 350 degree hotter 1700

decomposition temperature 1650

Temperature (deg. F)
1600
Decomposition temperature of 90% 1550
H2O2 is ~ 360 degrees colder than 1500
Linear (100 psia)
Linear (1000 psia)
Linear (2000 psia)
melting point of silver 1450

98% decomposition temperature 1400

virtually same as melting point of silver 1350

1300
Decomposition temperature is a function 50 100 150 200 250
Feed temperature (deg. F)
of propellant feed temperature (1.6
Adiabatic Decomposition Temperature, 90% to 100%
degrees F/deg. F) H2O2
Decomposition temperature is a function 2000
of operating pressure 1900

Temperature (deg. F)
Actual operating temperature dependent 1800

1700
on concentration, prop. temperature and Poly. (90%)
Poly. (98%)
1600 Poly. (92%)
operating pressure. Poly. (99%)
Poly. (100%)
1500
Worst case applications are high 1400
pressure staged combustion 98% 1300

combustion devices using H2O2 regen. 1200

0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000
Chamber Pressure (psia)

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98% H2O2 Catalyst Options

Various options tested in the past
High melting point silver alloys (i.e. silver-palladium)
High temperature metallic catalysts (including alloys)
Platinum
Palladium
Iridium
Ruthenium
Cobalt
Non-metallics
Manganese dioxide
Barium oxides
No obvious solutions that provide comparable
performance as silver with 90% H2O2
Relaxation of requirements permits some concepts
Stennis Space Center manganese dioxide facility
catalyst bed, operated with 98% H2O2

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AIAA-01-3250
98% H2O2 Catalyst Beds
GK has built several functioning 98% catalyst
beds in past 12 months
Most of this work is proprietary and not
currently available to the public
An example of a flight like catalyst bed has
been built and tested to reasonable operating
conditions.
Low cost manganese dioxide catalyst beds are
also available
Flight-Like Catalyst Bed
GK proprietary catalyst
Tested with X-L Space Sys 98% H2O2,
10/00
Demonstrated typical performance
Test terminated due to test stand
contamination
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AIAA-01-3250
98% H2O2 Test Set-Up
Legend Pressurization Panel Pneumatic
Supply Interface
2-way sol. vlv P

position sensor Ambient

Environment GN2 supply interface
press. gauge Interface

T thermocouple
venturi
Pressurization Panel Pneumatic
Supply
turbine flow
meter
3-way
sol. vlv T Temp. #1 P Inlet #1 T

ball vlv T Temp. #2 P

T

press.
P
transducer Cat Bed

burst P P
Feed Panel
disc P Inlet #2 Pneumatic Supply
2-way P P Exit #1 P Interface

manual vlv
P P Exit #2
filter

hose Note: Some

instrumentation not
manual reg. shown for clarity.
GN2 Gas Supply
Interface

check vlv
dome loaded Feed Panel Pneumatic Supply

reg.
98% Catalyst Bed Test Set-Up
P/N GK-MD018-504-001, Rev. B
bottle Originator: M. Ventura
7/2/01
orifice
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AIAA-01-3250
98% H2O2 Test Data
98% Catalyst Bed Pressures 98% Catalyst Bed Temperatures
Test 101300_020 Test 101300_020

1100 2000
1000 1800

Temperature (degrees F)
900
1600
800
Pressure (psia)

1400
700
1200
600 P Exit
Temp. #1
500 P Inlet 1000 Temp. #2

400 800
300 600
200 400
100 200
0
0
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Time (seconds)
Time (seconds)

Pressures
Decomposition roughness low (Data is 1 kHz with 250 Hz low pass filter)
Behavior comparable in features to 90% catalyst bed
Pressure is high, but expected with flux and higher gas temperatures
Temperatures
Behavior comparable in features to 90% catalyst bed
Lower than expected temperature due to propellant concentration being ~ 96% to 97%

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AIAA-01-3250

98% H2O2 Test Data Summary

Parameter Value
Number of tests 37
Total test time 1112 seconds
Max. mass flux 0.5 lbm-sec/sq.-in
Pressure drop 430 psid @ G=0.5
Roughness 1% to 2%
Min. start temperature 250 degrees F
H2O2 concentration 96% to 97%
C-Star Efficiency Approx. 100%

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AIAA-01-3250

Conclusions
98% H2O2 catalyst beds have been built and
tested under typical operating conditions
Performance of these catalyst beds is comparable
in general characteristics to 90% H2O2 catalyst
beds - risk of 98% catalyst beds is low
A 98% H2O2 catalyst bed has demonstrated
typical performance with life > 1000 seconds
98% catalyst beds can be developed for emerging
systems at diminished risk.

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