Homemade rocket explosion

[Anonymous No.10278309]

Was testing packed powder mixtures of sucrose and KNO3 (rocket candy) with my friend over the summer and we decided to start adding charcoal to the mix. Most of the combinations we made went by without any major variances in performance from the rocket candy stuff, but one ratio we tried, 23 sucrose / 13 charcoal / 64 KNO3, made the rocket explode nearly as loud as a gunshot and sent it flying backwards through a birdfeeder 50 yards away, which it destroyed, and went another 10 yards at least. Does anyone know if this is some special ratio, or if it more likely just happened by chance or by some issue with the packing?

[Anonymous No.10278321]

Powdered Rcandy? As in not melted and mixed on a skillet?
I'm guessing you have a void and as a void is exposed to the flame front it vastly increases the burning surface area and pressure often leading to a cato (catastrophic failure).

I have played with Rcandy a lot and recommend adding 10% Fe2O3 for much faster burn rates, avoid voids by casting molten fuel and tamping it with a hammer while still hot (inb4 some retard thinks Rcandy is an impact sensitive explosive).

[Anonymous No.10278326]

Also see this, http://www.nakka-rocketry.net/
Git gud at solid rockets and learn the math.

[Anonymous No.10278334]

>>10278321
Still saving up for a cheaper electric skillet to melt it down safely (still kinda spooked from when I accidentally melted an aluminum pan when Rcandy I was cooking over an open flame ignited), but will definitely look into the iron oxide addition. Do you know anything about the addition of charcoal?

[Anonymous No.10278344]

>>10278309
Hello fellow science lover!

That sounds pretty cool! Atmospheric conditions might be a factor at play, where do you live?

Mike the Sci guy

[Anonymous No.10278345]

>>10278334
Run the skillet outside and mix with a long handled spatula, if you are still worried get a face shield. I had one ~200g batch ignite in the skillet and while it scared the shit out of me everything was fine and it burnt out in a few seconds.
I have never played with charcoal other than for homemade black powder, I did play with thermite / thermate mixes in Rcandy but found no real improvements in thrust.