megalomania
June 26th, 2003, 11:25 AM
oxyrad
A new voice
Posts: 10
From: Perth,Western Australia
Registered: MAR 2001
posted March 11, 2001 08:19 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I recently watched the movy October skies and i was wondering if it is possible to make rockets out of pure alcohol.
Is Metho pure?
------------------
YZ's are the best
the freshmaker
Frequent Poster
Posts: 171
From: Heaven
Registered: DEC 2000
posted March 11, 2001 10:05 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, I think it is possible to make a rocket with pure alcohol....I assume you would like to make a liquid fuel propelled rocket, but it is a VERY difficult projekt. You need some fuelpumps and etc. If you wanna use alcohol for fuel you also need an oxidiser such as oxygen.
Take my advise: make some small solid fuel rockets then you would realise that it is not that easy!
Metho? Do you mean methanol? Methanol is alcohol extracted from wood. I don't think it would work well for rocket fuel!
Maybe isopropyl alcohol(?)
Some early rocketers used gasoline and oxygen
SofaKing
Frequent Poster
Posts: 397
From: YEAH RIGHT !!
Registered: SEP 2000
posted March 11, 2001 02:17 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In october sky they used solid propellent (can't remember what) and the alcohol was just a solvent.
Ctrl_C
Frequent Poster
Posts: 244
From:
Registered: NOV 2000
posted March 11, 2001 03:14 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
a liquid fuel rocket would be incredibly hard to build. servo controlled valves, heavy tanks, electronics, power source, correct fuel air mixture...etc,. would be very costly and very complicated. not only would you need an onboard fuel, you would probably also need some sort of liquid oxidizer....maybe LO2 or possibly N20. the tanks needed to hold these in liquid state have to be able to withstand about 2200 psi (even though the liquid is only at 800psi at 70DF) which makes them pretty heavy.
i dont think this endeavour is worth it unless you plan on one day lauching yourself into space and have several million dollars to do it.
c0deblue
Frequent Poster
Posts: 229
From:
Registered: JAN 2001
posted March 12, 2001 01:30 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I agree. Most of the early experiments with liquid-fueled rockets failed - many with spectacularly disastrous consequences - and some of these were quite mechanically sophisticated. Liquid fuels pose tremendous design challenges; the limited materials, equipment and budgets available to most amateur rocket builders make the job well nigh impossible and VERY dangerous.
My advice would be not to try to run before you can walk. Get your feet wet with a few off-the-shelf rocket engines/casings - educate yourself at websites devoted to rocketry - join a rocket club and learn from the experiences of those who have been doing it for awhile. In time you'll progress to bigger and more advanced projects, but if you try to shortchange the learning curve I guarantee you'll wind up getting hurt or causing serious damage.
Good luck with whatever you do, but always remember that while the race goes to the bold, the essence of wisdom is to recognize one's own limitations.
SATANIC
Frequent Poster
Posts: 232
From: australia
Registered: SEP 2000
posted March 13, 2001 08:12 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't think it would be worth your while to bother with liquid proppelled rockets.
In october sky they actually used pottasium chlorate and sulfur!! (remember it exploded when it came in contact with water)
oxyrad
A new voice
Posts: 10
From: Perth,Western Australia
Registered: MAR 2001
posted March 18, 2001 02:04 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I decided to watch october skies again and i found out that at first they used pottasium chlorate+sulfur then they changed it to pottasium chlorate+suger then ,because it kept exploding, they used the alcohol to bind the ingredients so their was no air pockets.Would this method work?
------------------
YZ's are the best
PYRO500
Moderator
Posts: 1478
From: somewhere in florida
Registered: SEP 2000
posted March 18, 2001 02:09 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I dont remember much of the movie or the book, but the book was a first hand account with all the information the same. the movie as I remember was VERY diffrent from the book
the book's title is "Rocket Boys" I suggest everyone read it
A new voice
Posts: 10
From: Perth,Western Australia
Registered: MAR 2001
posted March 11, 2001 08:19 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I recently watched the movy October skies and i was wondering if it is possible to make rockets out of pure alcohol.
Is Metho pure?
------------------
YZ's are the best
the freshmaker
Frequent Poster
Posts: 171
From: Heaven
Registered: DEC 2000
posted March 11, 2001 10:05 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, I think it is possible to make a rocket with pure alcohol....I assume you would like to make a liquid fuel propelled rocket, but it is a VERY difficult projekt. You need some fuelpumps and etc. If you wanna use alcohol for fuel you also need an oxidiser such as oxygen.
Take my advise: make some small solid fuel rockets then you would realise that it is not that easy!
Metho? Do you mean methanol? Methanol is alcohol extracted from wood. I don't think it would work well for rocket fuel!
Maybe isopropyl alcohol(?)
Some early rocketers used gasoline and oxygen
SofaKing
Frequent Poster
Posts: 397
From: YEAH RIGHT !!
Registered: SEP 2000
posted March 11, 2001 02:17 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In october sky they used solid propellent (can't remember what) and the alcohol was just a solvent.
Ctrl_C
Frequent Poster
Posts: 244
From:
Registered: NOV 2000
posted March 11, 2001 03:14 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
a liquid fuel rocket would be incredibly hard to build. servo controlled valves, heavy tanks, electronics, power source, correct fuel air mixture...etc,. would be very costly and very complicated. not only would you need an onboard fuel, you would probably also need some sort of liquid oxidizer....maybe LO2 or possibly N20. the tanks needed to hold these in liquid state have to be able to withstand about 2200 psi (even though the liquid is only at 800psi at 70DF) which makes them pretty heavy.
i dont think this endeavour is worth it unless you plan on one day lauching yourself into space and have several million dollars to do it.
c0deblue
Frequent Poster
Posts: 229
From:
Registered: JAN 2001
posted March 12, 2001 01:30 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I agree. Most of the early experiments with liquid-fueled rockets failed - many with spectacularly disastrous consequences - and some of these were quite mechanically sophisticated. Liquid fuels pose tremendous design challenges; the limited materials, equipment and budgets available to most amateur rocket builders make the job well nigh impossible and VERY dangerous.
My advice would be not to try to run before you can walk. Get your feet wet with a few off-the-shelf rocket engines/casings - educate yourself at websites devoted to rocketry - join a rocket club and learn from the experiences of those who have been doing it for awhile. In time you'll progress to bigger and more advanced projects, but if you try to shortchange the learning curve I guarantee you'll wind up getting hurt or causing serious damage.
Good luck with whatever you do, but always remember that while the race goes to the bold, the essence of wisdom is to recognize one's own limitations.
SATANIC
Frequent Poster
Posts: 232
From: australia
Registered: SEP 2000
posted March 13, 2001 08:12 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't think it would be worth your while to bother with liquid proppelled rockets.
In october sky they actually used pottasium chlorate and sulfur!! (remember it exploded when it came in contact with water)
oxyrad
A new voice
Posts: 10
From: Perth,Western Australia
Registered: MAR 2001
posted March 18, 2001 02:04 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I decided to watch october skies again and i found out that at first they used pottasium chlorate+sulfur then they changed it to pottasium chlorate+suger then ,because it kept exploding, they used the alcohol to bind the ingredients so their was no air pockets.Would this method work?
------------------
YZ's are the best
PYRO500
Moderator
Posts: 1478
From: somewhere in florida
Registered: SEP 2000
posted March 18, 2001 02:09 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I dont remember much of the movie or the book, but the book was a first hand account with all the information the same. the movie as I remember was VERY diffrent from the book
the book's title is "Rocket Boys" I suggest everyone read it