Thank you again for sharing, great material ! Many years ago I used to just melt KNO3 and sugar on frying pan 70/30. Never had fire, I even tried to test the danger of the ignition by overheating, and it was very hard to actually ignite the mix. Resulting fuel was dense and fast-burning, about 6 mm/sec at atmospheric pressure.

Women: cooks spaghetti, lasagna, and cake Men: cooks steak, hamburgers, and rocket fuel.

@Cpt.Hk1

3 жыл бұрын

:)

RSBTEADICAM - again, thank you for your valuable input. There are no bubbles by the time the fuel cooks down to a castable state. I take several measure to ensure this. If you are trying to make the point that bubbles = a fuel that will explode because of airpockets inside the grains...I had chicken for dinner last night.

@ Cohnibus...that is a great idea!

I like this answer!

RSBSTEADICAM, thank you for your valuable input.

Iron oxide is a good additive for sorbitol (i use dry melting of fuel). Doenst burn much faster, but it definitely burns more stable. It also makes the fuel a little easier to pour, and it makes it opaque which is useful because it protects rocket case from radiative heating. But the difference is not extreme, its just cool fine tuning.

Ok thanks! I ll do some tests.

Sounds like a great idea - though I would not know where to start with the ratios of that. alcohol is one of the primary ingredients in Epoxy Fuel.

Thanks Wizz :) i recently brought this book called "I still have all my fingers" by Dan Pollino which helps explain constructing model rockets :). I've also subscribed to you keep up the good work!

Just be aware, in some countries Confectionery/Icing sugar has up to 3% starch and this greatly slows the engine burn rate.

can i use pancake syrup (aka. sugar syrup) instead of corn syrup? corn syrup isnt really available in my country..... if not, do you have any other suggestions on replacing the corn syrup?

why do you prefer your hybrid fuel compared to the two alternatives ? does it have a faster burn rate or more power ?

wizzbang, can i use 98% KNO3 to make these? or i have to purify? and can i add rust powder?

Ok that's simple enough. I'm in the process now of building an engine. Very cool and clever idea of eliminating the retention screws. I'm using your design this time rather than (screws) for nozzle support. One more question...When casting (R-CANDY) can I cast (2) 4 inch grains rather than (4) 2 inch grains? Another words, cast longer grains? Thanks for the GREAT tutorials!

Hi William...if your fuel is not igniting easily I would say cook it longer. There should be some resistance to the fuel when you are pushing it around on the skillet. Because of the corn syrup, it is going to have a slightly wet feeling to it, but it should - for the most part- be on the dry side. Add 10-15 minutes to your cook time and let me know how that works for you. Stay safe!

While shopping for KDNX ingredients I saw confectioners sugar at a great price. Looked into it and discovered that it has a high percentage of starch in it. I didn't think that would be desirable so I dismissed it. Pleasantly surprised to find you using it sucessfully.

@WizzBang75

4 жыл бұрын

it works well, saves me a lot of time and I can't complain about the results. I am sure regular sugar produces more powerful results, but I am happy to stay well within the safety margins.

thanks a lot for your video but I have problem with ( KNO3 ) if you can help me , I try to mix urea with hot water with ( KCL ) I found the same form for ( KNO3 ) but really I don't know if it is or not , thanks again.

Hi Wizz, I'm just curious i've made my own fuel consisting of 65% KNO3 24% Sucrose 10% Sulphur 1% Iron Oxide will this be ok with your design?

if it is sorbitol, then you do not need to add water, sorbitol melts at a lower temperature than sugar, first we look at wikipedia mp. sorbitol, then we melt it gently in a sand bath, that's all at low power without overheating, it works perfectly, unlike sugar, which chars. sorbitol can certainly be alloyed with ETN recrystallized from acetone, their melting points are quite low and quite close to each other. Sorbitol has m.p. 94-96 degrees Celsius, that is, it is possible to melt all this relatively safely, theoretically even in a water bath, add alkali to the water and raise its boiling point and then in the bath all this can be melted together. I am 100% sure of this.

@WizzBang75

Жыл бұрын

All of that is incredibly interesting. If I ever have time to come out of KZread retirement. I may look into it, so thank you for sharing. In the past, as soon as I realized slow cooking fuel was the way to go, I stuck with it because the method shown here gives a highly predictable burn resulting in pressures I can calculate for safe nozzle diameters based on desired results. Also, cooking it this way helps ensure there will be no air bubbles. Last, but not least. It is a great way to remelt old fuel and make it new again.

@qwertyqwerty-cx8qn

Жыл бұрын

@@WizzBang75 Well, so far I'm only purely theoretical, because it is known that hexogen is added to the fuel. To be honest, I don’t like to melt fuel at all, but I liked how fused sugar with saltpeter burns, it’s better than sorbitol, it just chars pretty quickly. the last time I just mixed fine powders of sugar and saltpeter, added a little bitumen dissolved in petroleum ether, resulting in a mixture that is well molded, of course it burns a little worse. magnesium TOS should also burn well (TOS is a fuel-oxidizing mixture, black powder with the addition of metal, often aluminum). The question, of course, is what exactly we are striving for. But I liked this idea of making fuel without melting. If ETN is so easy to obtain, I would try to recrystallize it from acetone and add saltpeter and sugar to the fuel mixture, sugar can first be melted down with a catalyst (ash, iron oxide, lithium salts), so that it would char a little, and then mix, bitumen in hexane phlegmatizes, I think you can add up to 10% of the total mass, taking into account the oxygen balance ETN. I used to think that about 9% bitumen is needed, as it is written in chemistry textbooks, but I think that even less is enough, 2% is enough for phlegmatization, you need to get such a mixture that it would be possible to mold it, the less bitumen, the it will be better. All this is theoretical. Although I do have some experience. thanks for the answer. it is also known from the tabular data that ammonium nitrate has a good oxygen balance.

I'm trying to find the flexy fuel recipe here and can't find it. Any help?

thanks for the reply :) and if you dont know then, if you have the time and resources you should make a small batch of all three and test the burn rate, power, and a wack of other important scientific .. stuff , hahaha , i think it would make great for a video idea :D and perhaps try different variations of the three by trying differ additives like iron oxide, magnesium, sulfur, aluminium dust etc , i think that would be awesome and really helpful for us novices just starting out :)

Hi Brad - My preference for this formulation is based upon 3 simple factors: #1 - the formulation numbers work out to be 100 with the 65/20/15 ratios (keeps things simple). #2 - Compared to traditional R-Candy formula, it is incredibly easy to cast the fuel, #3 - It burns clean and I have never had a problem getting plenty of boost for take-off. How does it compare with traditional R-Candy for power out-put??? I have no idea :)

so you use 1 ml of water for each gram of fuel? What is the heat set to, medium-low?

My sugar caramelized and makes my fuel look really tasty. It still works, but should i throw it away?

When do I add the french toast?

I've heard that adding 1% iron oxide powder to the fuel mixture will increase the burn rate, do you have any experience with that?

I have stayed away from RIO. It increases the burn rate and the internal pressure of your motor as well. The BATES grain calculator I use now is formulated for recrystalized fuel - not fuel with accelerated burns like you mentioned.

how much of a difference in power from cooking it vs compressing the dry power with a mallet ?

@vertex3243

3 жыл бұрын

very big difference

Why do u need to cook the mixture instead of compacting the powder into a PVC ?? Both methods work very well....

@WizzBang75

4 жыл бұрын

I prefer this method only because when I researched all methods, this is the only way that was preferred by the bigger KZread personalities.

Where do you get potassium nitrate?

So the corn syrup acts as a binder? Is it also a fuel for the potassium nitrate?

@WizzBang75

5 жыл бұрын

It contains sugar, so yes...it adds to the fuel content.

I have a question regarding a cook time for 100 Grams. I watched your videos and they are excellent, thank you sharing. The consistency of my batch when i am finished is like a creamy paste. It will not lite and burn completely after sitting for about twenty minutes or so. It seems kinda wet, do i need to allow it to cure for a longer period of time, or do you suppose i need to cook it longer? Any help is appreciated. My mix ratio is 58g KNO3, 29g Sugar, 13g Corn Syrup and 10 ml of H20.

@WessCastings

2 жыл бұрын

You probably have to cook more water out of it

Has anyone ever tasted this stuff...looks kinda good.

@spacecadet35

8 жыл бұрын

+thechromepoet The LD50 for potassium nitrate is over 2g per kg of bodyweight, so you can probably put a bit on your finger (when it has cooled) and have a taste. I wouldn't eat a lot though.

@mobsterduck8315

7 жыл бұрын

thechromepoet it smells good too but that's just the burnt sugar

Great videos, WizzBang. Have you tried (or even considered) KNO3 and sorbitol, with a pinch of Fe2O3? This would eliminate the corn syrup, the water addition, and the long cook times. Just wondering, that's all.

@WizzBang75

10 жыл бұрын

Hi Appalling68...i have not tried Sorbitol as it is an ingredient that greatly increases the cost of this hobby. I have not used Red Iron Oxide simply because I do not need it, but I am very receptive to trying it some day. I have moved to a more populated area, so sadly, my rocket projects are taking a back seat for now. I'll be back at it some time this Spring.

@Appalling68

10 жыл бұрын

WizzBang75 Ok, my bad. I didn't take the cost of sorbitol (vs. sugar) into consideration when I posted. Yeah, I know it's more expensive but what a difference it makes not only in the preparation but later in the handling of the propellent. I've been pissing off my neighbors with my recent testing (right in my backyard), so I know the feeling. ;-) Again, thanks for your great videos. Keep up the rocket science!

@WizzBang75

10 жыл бұрын

lol @ Appalling68! I have tested some decent sized motors in my backyard as well, but so far neighbors have not complained. It is over so quickly that I don't think they'd know what to complain about. I remember the sound of my first 1200 Gram motor, it sounded like a freight train coming through! If I ever get to happy launching grounds where altitude and population are not issues, I will invest in Sorbitol. I have spent a ridiculous amount of time cooking propellant. Alright...good talk!

I am not sure about pancake syrup. Some use honey as a replacement and I have a friend in Thailand who uses Tapioca.

BTW, I was wondering if bubbles in your mixture affect the burn?

@jerwilllefevers3125

3 жыл бұрын

When you put the fuel into a mold, if theres large bubbles the fuel grain will create a large pressure increase, because of the change in surface area that is burning.

The French Toast ended up enchancing the fuel and gave me a substantial breakfast. Made 10 pounds of this stuff.

How can I distinguish potassium nitrate from other substances

@brandondorch8560

5 жыл бұрын

Stump remover

Hi Smacktalker - I can't say with absolute confidence. Once you start adding things like Sulphur and RIO, you are entering into fields unknown to me. All my calculations are based upon re-crystallized fuel, so when I use flexi fuel or and tamed down version of recrystallized, I know I am within safety margins. What your mixture would do with the same throat diameter nozzle and inside of a pvc casing - I have no idea. Be safe!

When you let the fuel sit to thicken, what is the heat temperature?

@WizzBang75

4 жыл бұрын

I use to hear the fuel to 250 degrees and when I was happy with the consistency I would cast it immediately.

I do not use 1ml of water for each gram of fuel. I use about 100-150ml of water for a 500 gram batch of fuel. If you are making re-crystalized fuel, it is recommended that you use 100ml of water for every 100 grams of fuel mixture.

How do you know the core size thank you for your time

@btarrh

7 жыл бұрын

Yes, your core size is based on your nozzle throat and your nozzle throat is based on the calculation Vc L* = --- AT Basically you need to find a good ratio. 1" PVC needs about a 3/8" nozzle hole or larger but test and see what works for you. I currently use 1 1/2" PVC with a 5/8" nozzle.

What is the ingredient in the purple mug ?

@tjvliet3042

8 жыл бұрын

+shamrez khan corn syrup

Dude your tutorials are awesome! One question though, you say 65% KNO3, 20% sugar and 15% syrup...could you tell me how many (grams) each ingredient is rather than (%) please? Thanks

@BowsersCloset

4 жыл бұрын

65 grams, 20 grams and 15 grams ahha Simple math man!

I would not recommend doing that as the chamber pressures will increase enough to become dangerous...you would have to change your throat diameter.

I made this fuel and it turned out to be crumbly and looked like haggis once fully cooked. What am I doing wrong?

@WizzBang75

7 жыл бұрын

you are over cooking it. the fuel you described is dangerous it will explode under pressure

@btarrh

7 жыл бұрын

There isn't an exact ratio for water to fuel. The water is only used to convert your powders into a liquid in order to mix them better. The more water you use the longer you'll be cooking. I like to completely solidify my fuels so I use a bit more water than WizzBang75. I also add about a gram of iron oxide to my mix, this increases the burn rate but don't use too much. I make rust by submerging steel wool in a cup of bleach for about a week and then catching the rust with a coffee filter.

You ever think of adding "rust powder"?

@WizzBang75

10 жыл бұрын

Hi Gary, I do not use the Red Iron Oxide. It isn't needed as I get good burns and I've always had to be very careful with altitude. Also, I do not have a calculator that factors in the higher power. I like to play it safe!

Don't understand the water with corn syrup??

@WizzBang75

3 жыл бұрын

The corn syrup creates a flexible binder...making the fuel easier to cast, and much less likely to crack the fuel under pressure. The water is intended to get all of the Karo out of the measuring cup.

You can break it down to 100 grams = 65 grams of kno3, 20 grams of sugar and 15 grams od Karo Corn syrup....enjoy and be safe!

you said "in the white container we have a 65% 20%" . 65% potassium nitrate 20% sugar so what else is in the white container to make up the last 15%?

@WizzBang75

7 жыл бұрын

WotDemolisher Karo corn syrup

@plintu3

7 жыл бұрын

awesome thank you

@isaacmortimer8869

7 жыл бұрын

Is that by weight or volume?

@AnthonyAcciani

7 жыл бұрын

Weight, just made a batch myself by weight and it works. Same burn rate and properties

How many grams is your white powder mix

@WizzBang75

5 жыл бұрын

It is a mixture of 65 percent potassium nitrate and 15 percent powdered sugar.

@christopherbice885

5 жыл бұрын

@@WizzBang75 Thank you I realized that after posting I used way to much hfc at first but did my second batch perfect. Now im just waiting for a nice day to do some testing found your videos extremely interesting and helpful

No reason to throw it away when you can use it as test strands for burn rate tests.

when you are ready to ruin a batch of fuel :D

I get mine at Walmart. It is a grocery store item.

Coffee whitener contain : monoglyceride and glucose syrup. Could it be effective in a mix? Looking at a list of ingredient on Google : Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil. High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) ... Dipotassium Phosphate. ... Mono- and Diglycerides. ... Natural Flavors. ... Sodium Caseinate. ... Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate (SSL) Some look very volatile and explosive ingredients.

what do you mean 65% kno3 ? 65 grams ?

@WizzBang75

9 жыл бұрын

Yes...those are the percentages/ ratios.

@DominoSixO

8 жыл бұрын

+turbotonic27 65 tons of kno3 20 tons of sugar and 15 tons of syrop :D

@LarryPKorn

8 жыл бұрын

+Domino SixO I actually would like to see that done. Are you up to it? lol

@DominoSixO

8 жыл бұрын

David Bill I'm up to it just give me the money :D

Has anyone tried using marshmallows instead of powder suger?

@WizzBang75

5 жыл бұрын

I am actually convinced that would work! Also the marsh mellows could be a binding agent.

@blainejensen7623

5 жыл бұрын

I know there could be more in marshmallows starch and what not, just trying to simplify the cooking process microwave the mallows then add the potassium nitrate

@WizzBang75

4 жыл бұрын

I would use a double boiler...and of course...weigh them in advance of melting.

Trust me when I say if your not using red oxide its not high power fuel.

@WizzBang75

5 жыл бұрын

I know RIO adds to the power... however you can't pass the straight face test saying it isn't high power when I have had rockets go thousands of feet in the air and out of sight. Not a point that can be reasonably argued. I do conceed that the power can be increased.

Why do people who make these rockets call the process recrystallization? A recryst is when you change the temperature of the water (not the quantity) to dissolve and un-dissolve a product. First get your boiling water (at reflux; you don't want to lose any steam...). Then dissolve as much product as you can in it. Then as the solution cools down, crystal product will begin to form (because lower temp = lower solubility), hence the name recrystallization. You're then supposed to filter these crystals out. This is a method for purification. Crystals are obviously undesired for rocket fuel, here you want the finest possible powder. So now you know, recrysting is something else with an entirely different purpose. The method your use is simply for mixing the two products together better. It's just "mixing in solvent and evaporating". It's a good technique, effective for the purpose of more evenly mixing. It just annoys me that almost all rocket builders falsely name it recrystallization when they actually don't know a thing about chemistry And although I don't actually have any experience making rocket fuel, here's advice from a scientific point of view. You didn't use enough water. Like you said yourself in the video, (although you used the term decompose which is incorrect because it implies chemical change in the molecules (such as sugar caramelization)), you want the chemicals to disassociate (dissolve) completely so that they are more intimately mixed together, then evap your water. So my tip would be to add water until complete dissolution. Anyway out of all the r-candy videos I've seen, your's is by far the best in terms of scientific accuracy and also you're the first I've seen to not decompose the sugar. Because yeah most people don't understand that if their sugar turned brown it just isn't sugar anymore.

this fuel is good but it is Suspect to shocks, temperature cycles and Stress. The Fuel I use Lasts Years with temperature cycling, shocks and stress I, love it And It's been tested. Also No Cooking needed also a bonus! And it has a Better ISP and is more predictable, and more open for characterization than the candy Propellant. Overall cost is slightly higher, but for the added benefits it's much better.

@skyprop

10 жыл бұрын

I also can say that I tested this propellant for YEARS and will attest to the facts I stated Above.

@skyprop

10 жыл бұрын

I also forgot to say that the fuel I use can BE SCALED way Up safely and Successfully too.

@skyprop

10 жыл бұрын

skyprop As well My Propellant is straight forward and no Guessing or wondering thinking about it. It will be all right there for you no Guessing.

@nobody4867

8 жыл бұрын

+skyprop dude gtfo.... stop banging on about your amazing fuel without telling us what it is.... oh guys my fuel does this and it does that and its sooooo much better and here's some technical terms in your face to make me sound smart and im so awesome and clever and better yeahhh except for the fact that when someone asked you what it is you didn't give an answer..... probably because you were just saying all that to make yourself sound cool in the comment section...

@isaacmortimer8869

7 жыл бұрын

He REAALLY wants to know what that fuel is lol

Why are you adding sugar to your potassium nitrate when you already have corn syrup 😂 Hexamine is better.

@WizzBang75

2 жыл бұрын

Corn syrup is a binder, though it does add to the fuel through its sugar content. If you have a better way, show us! I'm a good student!

So you go through the materials list but where is the fire extinguisher, first aid kit, cold towels and so forth. Hmmm seems like someone a bit over confident!