The Role of Black Powder in Propelling Charges

Abstract

Plans for converting from batch processing to automated, primarily continuous production of black powder, involving among numerous changes, replacement of the traditional wheel mill by a jet mill, have raised concerns over the possibility of consequent modifications in performance of black-powder primers for propelling charges. As a step in preparing to test the performance of the material produced by the new process, the Product Assurance Directorate asked the author to investigate the role of black powder in ignition trains, to review literature on its ignition and burning mechanisms, to propose a mechanism for its participation in the ignition sequence, and to suggest a performance- oriented laboratory test that eventually might be employed as a basis for product acceptance. The report details the results of this investigation.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 1975
Accession Number
ADA009709

Entities

People

  • Forman Williams

Organizations

  • Picatinny Arsenal

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Ammunition
  • Artillery Ammunition
  • Barometric Pressure
  • Burning Rate
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Combustion
  • Explosive Trains
  • Explosives
  • Gunpowder
  • Ignition
  • Ignition Lag
  • Laser Ignition Systems
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Measurement
  • Propelling Charges
  • Random Walk
  • Test And Evaluation

Readers

  • Metallurgy
  • Rocket Propulsion.
  • Systems Analysis and Design