Erosivity of a Nitramine Propellant
Abstract
To achieve extended ranges with lightweight guns, the Army uses propellants with flame temperatures greater than 3000K. Such propellants erode gun steel, leading to undesirably short wear lives. One solution to this problem is development of propellants with comparable performances and lower flame temperatures. Nitramine-containing propellants offer such possibilities, but previous experiments indicated the nitramine propellants were more erosive than conventional propellants. In view of the need for high-force, low-flame temperature propellants, it was important to re-examine the earlier unexpected results. A series of experiments was conducted in a 37mm blow-out gun with a high impetus nitramine propellant containing 37-percent RDX and four standard Army propellants: M1, M30, M5, and M8. The nitramine propellant has a flame temperature about the same as M5 and an impetus slightly greater than M8 propellant. The erosivities of the five propellants were measured by mass loss of a contoured nozzle. A radioactive technique was also used which measured the amount of wear of the contoured nozzle.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1978
- Accession Number
- ADA060590
Entities
People
- Andrus Niiler
- J. Richard Ward
- Robert Birkmire
- Robert W. Greene
- Timothy L. Brosseau
Organizations
- Ballistic Research Laboratory