Magnesium/CO2 Ramjet

[Mike Everman]

http://www-personal.engin.umich.edu/~jl ... 2_3788.pdf

Oh, man is this a cool idea!

[Mark]

http://www-personal.engin.umich.edu/~jl ... 2_3788.pdf

Oh, man is this a cool idea!

Didn't read the whole pdf, but I remember this rocket motor test firing movie from long ago. http://www.space-rockets.com/Marsprop.html Looks like it runs a little rough.
There's an old experiment/demonstration where you can light magnesium on a block of dry ice, leaving a carbon residue.
I once made a cast of magnesium powder, water, and calcium sulfate, (plaster of paris), it hardened into a plaster cast face of a head hunter, and burned quite brightly even though it was hard to get it up to ignition temperature, once started, it lit up my backyard at night. Magnesium will even burn to some extent in nitrogen. A bright flash powder can be made by mixing Epson salt, ( (magnesium sulfate), with powdered magnesium; I wouldn't have thought a magnesium compound would burn so well with magnesium metal, yet it does.
Mark

[Peter Hanely]

I once made a cast of magnesium powder, water, and calcium sulfate, (plaster of paris), it hardened into a plaster cast face of a head hunter, and burned quite brightly even though it was hard to get it up to ignition temperature, once started, it lit up my backyard at night. Magnesium will even burn to some extent in nitrogen. A bright flash powder can be made by mixing Epson salt, ( (magnesium sulfate), with powdered magnesium; I wouldn't have thought a magnesium compound would burn so well with magnesium metal, yet it does.
Mark

In both cases it's a reaction between the magnesium and the sulfate, SO4--. Magnesium, aluminum, and a few other metals have enough affinity for oxygen to produce enough heat to tear the sulfate apart to get the oxygen. Depending on the mix some or all of the sulphur may also be grabbed up to oxidize the metal fuel.

[Mark]

I once made a cast of magnesium powder, water, and calcium sulfate, (plaster of paris), it hardened into a plaster cast face of a head hunter, and burned quite brightly even though it was hard to get it up to ignition temperature, once started, it lit up my backyard at night. Magnesium will even burn to some extent in nitrogen. A bright flash powder can be made by mixing Epson salt, ( (magnesium sulfate), with powdered magnesium; I wouldn't have thought a magnesium compound would burn so well with magnesium metal, yet it does.
Mark

In both cases it's a reaction between the magnesium and the sulfate, SO4--. Magnesium, aluminum, and a few other metals have enough affinity for oxygen to produce enough heat to tear the sulfate apart to get the oxygen. Depending on the mix some or all of the sulphur may also be grabbed up to oxidize the metal fuel.

Whereas magnesium powder will reduce calcium sulfate, aluminum seems not to. I think I remember that.
I can't remember how aluminum behaved with magnesium sulfate. I guess I would have to try it out "again." Have you tried these two experiments?
Mark
Mark