I have very limited nitro experience (Doug King's arduns) so I may not be
offering anything useful.
Relative to fuel atomization I suspect that whatever is right for gasoline or
methanol might not necessarily follow for nitromethane. Seems I read once that
nitromethane molecules decompose first into oxygen and some other molecules
and/or radicals giving up energy in the process and then some of the oxygens
recombine giving up more energy. Remaining oxygen combines with some of the
methanol the nitro is dissolved in. The remaining methanol burns as a rich
mixture in the air in the combustion chamber.
I figure nitro decomposition depends on temperature and pressure in the
droplet. This is probably influenced by the droplet size. The right
conditions would give the ideal burn results (not too hot or cold). If one
injector is off then results can be poor or disastrous.
By the way, does nitrous behave this way to any extent (as a gas)?
Anybody know of any real research on this? I mean controlled lab experiments,
papers for critical review, etc.
Maybe the freeflight community is on top of nitro technology (they're
surprisingly scientific, those folks).
I'm sure the top fuel dragster guys know a lot but may not talk about it.
Ed Weldon
|