Electrical Ignition of LGP 1846 in a Two-Stage Igniter
Abstract
An electrically initiated, liquid propellant (LP)-based igniter was designed and tested. The igniter consisted of two stages, a 0.5 cc precombustion chamber and a 12 cc antechamber. A solution of potassium chloride was used in the initial tests as a LP simulant. LGP 1846 was used in all propellant tests. Preliminary results indicated that voltage breakdown (arc) may occur when the voltage across the electrode gap is greater than 500 volts. Ignition without voltage breakdown was not attained. Tests with 15 milliHenrys of inductance in the discharge circuit did not result in reliable ignition. The inductance was reduced to 2.5 mH, increasing the electrical power and absorbed energy, and reliable ignition was achieved. The amount of energy absorbed by the igniter was between 13 and 24 J in tests that resulted in ignition of the LP. This was 23 to 43 percent of the initial energy stored in the system. There was large variability in the maximum pressures attained in the igniter chambers. This was, at least in part, due to the failure of a teflon seal at the base of the precombustion chamber.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA207761
Entities
People
- James DeSpirito
- John Knapton
- Phillip Reeves
Organizations
- Ballistic Research Laboratory