Photo-ignition of Carbon Nanotube for Ignition of Liquid Fuel Spray and Solid Fuel

We have studied the ignition of liquid fuel and certain solid fuels by the photoignition of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Our investigation includes the effect of solid additives such as aluminum nano-particles and solid oxidizers such as ammonium perchlorate (AP) on the photoignition characteristics. We have shown that by mixing CNT with other nanoparticles and powdered material, the ignition parameters such as; burn temperature and burn duration can be tailored to meet ignition requirements. We believe this approach in photoignition of a fuel spray and a solid fuel provides a suitable method for ignition of liquid rocket engines and solid rocket motors. Among the advantages of this approach are a compact, low weight, and robust ignition method and it enables volumetric distributed ignition of fuel sprays.