This volume brings together international scientists in the field of solid rocket propulsion. Thirty-nine papers present in-depth coverage on a wide range of topics including: advanced materials and non-traditional formulations; the chemical aspects of organic and inorganic components in relation to decomposition mechanisms, kinetics, combustion and modelling; safety issues, hazards and explosive characteristics; and experimental and computational interior ballistics research, including chemical information and the physics of the complex flow field.

Solid propellant chemistry, combustion, and motor interior ballistics

Burning rate data are presented with respect to initial temperature and pressure for three compounds that are currently used in propellant and explosive formulations. The dependence of burning rate on initial temperature and pressureispresented forammonium perchlorate(AP), HMX, and RDX.Data foringredients being considered for advanced propellants, such as CL-20, ammonium dinitramide (ADN), and hydrazinium nitroformate (HNF) are also presented and compared to the more traditional compounds. These ingredients are all capable of selfdee agration,andtheirbehavioroftencontrolsthebehaviorofthepropellantsinwhichtheyarethemainingredients.

Burning Rate of Solid Propellant Ingredients, Part 1: Pressure and Initial Temperature Effects

A model of ammonium perchlorate deflagration between 20 and 100 atm

Combustion of ammonium perchlorate-polymer sandwiches

A model describing the combustion of composite propellants has been applied to three different types of composite propellants, and to two oxidizers which burn as monopropellants. The oxidizers studied are AP, HMX, and KP (ammonium perchlorate, cyclotetramethylenetetranitramine, and potassium perchlorate), each of which has unique combustion characteristics. The monopropellant combustion of AP and HMX has been considered in detail, particularly that of AP. Calculations have been compared with experimental data for the burning rate, the sensitivity of the burning rate to both pressure and initial temperature, and the surface temperature. The agreement between the calculations and experimental data is very adequate. The results indicate that AP and HMX apparently burn with a considerable exothermic reaction at the burning surface as well as in the gas phase above the surface. Both reactions must be accounted for to give consistent results. The combustion of the three oxidizers burning with a fuel in composite propellants has also been simulated. Experimental data are presented for propellants in which the oxidizer has been systematically varied. A direct comparison has been made between the data and the calculations of the model. The calculations agree quite well with the combustion characteristics of the three different types of composite propellants.

The combustion of solid monopropellants and composite propellants

Pure ammonium perchlorate single crystal self deflagration, determining energy transfer mechanisms from pressure effects, combustion characteristics and subsurface profile

T. L. Boggs

Papers

Deflagration rate, surface structure, and subsurface profile of self-deflagrating single crystals of ammonium perchlorate