Shuttle fuel?

Question

why is liquid oxygen used as shuttle fuel and why do they use supercold coolants and stuff?

Answer 1

Liquid oxygen ("LOX") isn't the shuttle's fuel, it's the oxidizer. Like all combustion engines, the shuttle's rocket engines convert heat energy into kinetic (mechanical) energy, and to generate the heat it burns a fuel with an oxidizer. In an auto engine, the fuel is gasoline (usually) and the oxidizer is the oxygen in the air. In the shuttle's main engines, the fuel is hydrogen and the oxidizer is oxygen. When the two are combined in the combustion chamber of the rocket engine, they burn fiercely and generate tremendous pressure which forces the hot gases out the nozzle of the engine, and by reaction this force accelerates the ship forward.

In space, there is no air, so the shuttle has to take its supply of oxidizer with it in a tank. To fit enough oxidzer in a small enough tank, the oxygen has to be in liquid form, which means it has to be very cold. The same goes for the hydrogen gas fuel; it has to be held in liquid form in the fuel tank, so it has to be very cold so it doesn't turn into gas by boiling, while still in the fuel tank. These liquids (liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen) if they boil, will expand in volume greatly, just as water does when it turns into steam. But the boiling points of oxygen and hydrogen are much lower in temperature than the boiling point of water.

Answer 2

Oxygen isn't actually used as the fuel, it is the combustant. Liquid hydrogen is the fuel, and when it's combined with the liquid oxygen, they burn and produce lots of power.

The reason the oxygen and hydrogen are liquid are so they can fit more of them into the fuel tank...which is already huge as it is. Liquids take a lot less room than vapors. Also, once they're in space, they'll cool to liquids anyway (the oxygen will, at least; the hydrogen might not).

Answer 3

LOX or liquid oxygen is not the fuel for the shuttle or for that matter anything else- it is the oxidizer used to provide the oxygen required for combustion or burning to take place- the fuel in the case of the shuttle is liquid hydrogen. It is used because it has a great deal of energy per pound and in concert with LOX forms a non toxic high energy form of rocket propulsion (when hydrogen and oxygen are burned they form h2o- water- as the exhaust gas).

Answer 4

Liquid oxygen is an accellerant which allows the the rest of the fuel to burn more efficiently.

Answer 5

Because for anything to burn, you need oxygen. Liquid O2 and liquid H2 are used because the mix burns easily and rapidly. They use it in liquid form so that they can carry the amount needed in as little space as possible.

Answer 6

the liquid oxygen is used to keep the fire on the rocket going b/c there is no air in space and fire need oxygen. the coolents are ment to keep the shuttles tail which is near the end of the rocket from melting due to the intense heat from the rockets fire.

"Taz"

Answer 7

I bear in mind analyzing as quickly as long term in the past that the Queen Elizibeth 2 cruise deliver travelled approximately 6 inches on one million gallon of gas. I vaguely bear in mind the gap return and forth traveling an identical distance consistent with gallon of gas or equivalent. i think of the S return and forth makes use of liquid Hydrogen as as a gas so theres no longer plenty to conspiracies.