Editing Hellmuth Walter (section)

== Early life ==

Walter began training as a [[machinist]] in 1917 in [[Hamburg]] and in 1921 commenced studies in [[mechanical engineering]] at the [[Technische Hochschule]] in Charlottenburg (now [[Technische Universität Berlin]]). He left before completing these studies, however, in order to take up a position at the [[Stettiner Maschinenbau AG Vulcan]], a major [[shipyard]]. Walter's experience with [[marine steam engine|marine engines]] here led him to become interested in overcoming some of the limitations of the [[internal combustion engine]]. He reasoned that an [[engine]] powered by a [[fuel]] source already rich with [[oxygen]] would not require an external supply of oxygen (from the [[Earth's atmosphere|atmosphere]] or from tanks). This would have obvious advantages for powering submarines and [[torpedo]]es.

Research suggested that [[hydrogen peroxide]] was a suitable [[monopropellant]] fuel—in the presence of a suitable [[catalyst]] it would break down into oxygen and [[steam]] at high [[temperature]]. The [[heat]] of the [[Chemical reaction|reaction]] would cause the oxygen and steam to expand, and this could be used as a source of [[pressure]]. Walter also realised that another fuel could be injected into this hot mixture of [[gas]]es to provide [[combustion]] and therefore more [[Power (physics)|power]]. He [[patent]]ed this idea in 1925.