Methods for Evaluation of Thermally Induced Reactions in Liquid Propellants
Abstract
Aqueous mixtures of the nitrate salts of hydroxylamine (HAN) and triethanolamine (TEAN) are homogeneous, ionic solutions that remain liquid over a wide temperature range (<-60C). They are sufficiently fluidic that they can be pumped rapidly and are being considered for use in medium to large caliber guns. The physical and chemical properties of the propellants make them difficult or impossible to study to classical propellant evaluation methods. Thermal stability studies that include the effects of impurities and contaminants require special cognizance because of unique reactivity of the propellant mixtures. Reaction initiation by absorption of thermal energy has been a major experimental method for determination of propellant stability as well as for the study of ignition and combustion phenomena. A modified high-pressure hydrogenation apparatus (AMINCO bomb) has been used for such reaction initiation studies for many years and is now being replaced by an adiabatic calorimeter. The new diagnostic system utilizes a commercially available accelerating rate calorimeter (ARC) that has been modified to make it suitable for use with liquid gun propellants. Safe storage temperatures, as determined with the ARC, are independent of the quantity of material being stored thereby eliminating the extrapolation from small laboratory samples that is a common uncertainty in many stability evaluation test methods. Keywords: Liquid gun propellants; Thermal stability; Calorimetry; Hydroxylammonium nitrate; Triethanolammonium nitrate; Thermodynamics.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA218750
Entities
People
- Charles S. Leveritt
- Nathan Klein
Organizations
- Ballistic Research Laboratory