MEASUREMENT OF THE BURNING SURFACE TEMPERATURES OF PROPELLANT COMPOSITIONS BY INFRARED EMISSION
Abstract
A method of determining the burning surface temperatures of solid propellant compositions by measurement of the infrared emission from the surface is described. Specific wavelengths, at which the solid emission is high and the gas emission is low, were selected for the measurements. Very weak fuel/NH4ClO4 powder mixtures, burning at atmospheric pressure, have a constant surface temperature of 495 !15 C irrespective of the burning rate. Practical propellant compositions, containing rather more than stoichiometric proportions of fuel with NH4ClO4, give a similar temperature provided that the hot gas emission can be successfully eliminated, but interference from the gas leads to maximum measured temperatures of about 560 C. The average surface temperature of a double-base propellant increases with burning rate; temperatures range from 300 to 400 C at atmospheric pressure. Binder fuels currently used in composite propellants also have surface temperatures close to 500 C when burning in a diffusion flame with oxygen.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 05, 1962
- Accession Number
- AD0273989
Entities
People
- J. Powling
- W. A. Smith