Sensitivity of Liquid Monopropellants to Compression Ignition
Abstract
Safe start-up and operation of a liquid propellant gun system can be accomplished if the relevant sensitivity parameters or hazard parameters of the candidate monopropellant as related to secondary ignition effects in the LPG environment can be identified and measured. Here we define secondary ignition as any propellant ignitions due to sources other than direct initiation. Flow factors, ignition reaction factors, pressure development, and confinement times all contribute in defining this regime of safe operation of the liquid monopropellant system. The secondary ignition event that we have focused on in this study is the collapse of a bubble under rapid compression of the liquid monopropellant charge. The particular propellant utilized in all tests was NOS- 365. In this study, Princeton Combustion Research Laboratories, Inc., has utilized its Compression Ignition Sensitivity Tester, with minor modifications, to produce on a systematic basis rapid compression of the liquid monopropellant charge with various rates of pressure rise, with various amounts of finely distributed ullage, with and without pre-pressurization of the propellant charge, to determine operating domains of safe start-up operation insofar as avoidance of compression ignition due to entrapped bubble collapse is concerned.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1982
- Accession Number
- ADA115842
Entities
People
- L. S. Ingram
- M. Summerfield
- N. A. Messina