Gasification of Low-Melting Fuel in a High-Temperature Flow of Inert Gas

The gasification process of a low-melting fuel (polypropylene) in a high-temperature flow of inert gas (nitrogen) has been studied experimentally, implying the application to solid-fuel ramjets. The mass flow rate of gasification products attained the value of 8 g/s, and the ratio of the mass flow rates of the working gas and gasification products was 4.5. A semiempirical model for calculating the characteristics of the gasification process has been proposed. The mass flow rate of gasification products is shown to increase with the temperature of the working gas and with the amount of heat absorbed by the low-melting fuel material.