COMBUSTION MECHANISM OF HIGH BURNING RATE SOLID PROPELLANTS.
Abstract
Thiokol's program to tailor the burning rate of a propellant predictably and controllably to any desired level in the range from 1 to 10 inches per second is divided into three phases: Phase I - Synthesis of Burning Rate Catalysts, Phase II - Decomposition Studies and Evaluation of Catalysts and Phase III - Decomposition of Advanced Oxidizers, Fuels, and Binders. Experiments will be performed to synthesize more efficient burn rate catalysts by maximizing already determined guideline properties toward development of an ideal catalyst under Phases I and II. Following catalyst synthesis, each compound showing potential will be subjected to comprehensive decomposition studies and combustion mechanism evaluation with propellant ingredients. Thermogravimetric analyses of catalysts mixed with HC polymer show that none of the catalysts tested appear to catalyze the decomposition of HC polymer. Propellants formulated with the copper (I) complex, the copper (II) complex and the cobalt (II) complex of beta-ferrocenyl-beta-oxo-propionaldehyde demonstrated burning rates higher than that of similar propellant containing n-butyl-ferrocene (PLASTISCAT-IV(R)) at the 2 percent level. An analysis to relate subsurface heating to changes in ammonium perchlorate crystal structure was conducted. It was shown that if the concept of a constant surface temperature is valid and if the extrapolated value of thermal diffusivity is accurate to within 10 percent, the surface temperature of burning ammonium perchlorate is 440 + or - 30 C. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1967
- Accession Number
- AD0384237
Entities
People
- David A. Flanigan