The element Mercury as a Fuel?

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    Element Fuel Mercury
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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the potential use of mercury as a fuel or propellant for spacecraft. Participants explore its properties, historical usage, and comparisons with other propellants like xenon and cesium, focusing on theoretical and experimental aspects.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants question whether mercury has properties that would allow its use as a fuel for spacecraft, noting its toxicity and potential as a propellant.
  • One participant suggests that mercury could be ionized and expelled in a manner similar to ion drives, referencing NASA tests, although specifics are unclear.
  • Another participant mentions historical usage, indicating that the Russians used mercury while Americans preferred xenon.
  • It is argued that mercury is not a fuel in the traditional sense, as it requires an external energy source for vaporization and acceleration, similar to water in a steam engine.
  • A distinction is made between 'fuel' and 'propellant', with some participants suggesting that mercury might be better classified as a propellant rather than a fuel.
  • One participant highlights mercury's high density as an advantage over xenon or cesium for storage on spacecraft, along with its ionization energy characteristics.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on whether mercury can be classified as a fuel or propellant, and there is no consensus on its practical applications in spacecraft propulsion. The discussion remains unresolved regarding its viability as a fuel source.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the importance of definitions in discussing fuel versus propellant, and there are unresolved questions about the energy requirements for using mercury in propulsion systems.

timejim
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Does Mercury have properties that would permit its' use as a Fuel to power Spacecraft? Has this been done before or experimented with? If it is heated to its' vaporization point, what happens? I know it is highly poisonous but I have heard that it has a potential for use as "a" fuel.
 
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I supposed it could be ionized and spat out an accelorater. As in an ion drive, although I hadn't heard of the recent NASA tests using mercury.
 
I think the russians used Mercury and the Americans used Xenon.
 
In these examples mercury is not a fuel. In order to vaporize and accelerate the mercury ions you need some other source of energy.
The role of the mercury in this (ionic motors, I think) is somewhat similar to the role of water in a steam engine. Water is vaporized and the high pressure vapors are used to push the pistons. But the water is not the fuel. (the fuel was coal usually)
 
timejim said:
Does Mercury have properties that would permit its' use as a Fuel to power Spacecraft? Has this been done before or experimented with? If it is heated to its' vaporization point, what happens? I know it is highly poisonous but I have heard that it has a potential for use as "a" fuel.
I think one means 'propellant' as opposed to 'fuel'. Propellant is the working fluid which provides thrust by virtue of mass flow rate and exhaust velocity, as apposed to fuel which provide energy. In some cases decomposition of a monopropellant or a bipropellant (fuel/oxidizer), the fuel is part of the working fluid.

Xenon or Cesium is used in preference to mercury.

Edit: Please note the OP was made Dec27-03.
 
Last edited:
The one property that mercury has over xenon or cesium as an ion-thrust propellant on spacecraft voyages is high density, which makes for easier storage on the spacecraft during long voyages. Mercury has a lower ionization energy than xenon, but higher than cesium. See table:
http://www.lenntech.com/periodic-chart-elements/ionization-energy.htm
Bob S
 

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