Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The pressure effect study on the burning rate of ammonium nitrate-HTPB-based propellant with the influence catalysts

  • Published:
Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The burning rate of AN–HTPB-based propellant catalysed with chromium salt has been studied using conventional strand burner under the various pressure range, i.e. from atmospheric pressure to 6.897 MPa and verified with Piobert law, i.e. r = aP n. At atmospheric pressure, the burning rate AN–HTPB propellant was being accelerated with the chromium-based catalysts used. In case of lead chromate-catalysed system, burning rate was observed 2.655 times higher than burning rate (r = 0.200 mm s−1) of virgin AN–HTPB propellant sample. However, the Copper chromate-catalysed propellant burned with slower rate (r = 0.160 mm s−1) than the virgin AN–HTPB propellant sample. The burning rate of all catalysed propellant samples are found to be the pressure sensitive and accelerated higher with rise of pressure. The highest burning rate (r = 2.422 mm s−1) was recorded with ammonium dichromate and lowest (r = 1.40 mm s−1) with lead chromate-catalysed propellant sample with the rise of pressure up to 6.897 MPa at different pressures. A linear relationship was observed between the burning rate and pressure rise which followed the Piobert law, i.e. r = aP n. The pressure index (n) values of AN–HTPB-based samples were calculated higher when catalysed with ammonium dichromate, Copper Chromate, Cr2O3, Potassium dichromate (n = 0.525, 0.555, 0.429, and 0.408 respectively) and lower (n = 0.226) with lead chromate compared to virgin sample (n = 0.405). Higher value indicates the positive effect on accelerating the burning rate with catalyst at higher pressure ranges.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hamilton BK. Method for making a propellant having a relatively low burn rate exponent and high gas yield for use in a vehicle inflator, US Patent 6315930, Nov 2001.

  2. Batchelder GW. Solid composite, smokeless, slow burning, low flame propellant, UP Patent 2974026, March 1997.

  3. Jones JL. Smokeless slow burning cast propellant—ammonium nitrate, catalyst, methyl acrylate copolymer, US Patent 4112,849, Sept 1978.

  4. Simoes P, Pedroso L, Portugal A, Plaksin I, Campos J. New propellant component part II. Study of a PSAN/DNAM/HTPB based formulation. Propellant Explos Pyrotech. 2001;26(6):278–83.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Arakawa Y, Kohga M. Combustion characteristics of ammonium nitrate based composite solid propellant: effect of mean diameter of ammonium nitrate. Kayaku Gakkaishi. 1997;58(2):76–82.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Arakawa Y, Kohga M. Ammonium nitrate based composite solid propellant 2: effects of addition of surfactants on viscosity of uncured propellant. Kayaku Gakkaishi. 1997;58(2):83–8.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Kuwahara T, Matsno S. Burning rate characteristics and ignition characteristics of ammonium nitrate/ammonium perchlorate composite propellants. Kayaku Gakkaishi. 1995;56(3):135–40.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Kato K, Goro N. Burning rate characteristics of GAP/AN propellant. Kayaku Gakkaishi. 1995;56(3):130–4.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Hagihara Y. Effects of chromium and cobalt compounds on burning rate of AN/HTPB composite propellant. Kogyo Kayaku (Sci Technol Energ Mater). 1991;52(6):390–395.

  10. Kempa PB, Herrmann M, Engel W. Dilatometric measurement of phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (CuPSAN) performed by X-ray Diffraction. In: 29th international annual conference ICT, on energetic materials, 1998, p. 73.1–73.11.

  11. Brewster MQ, Sheridan TA, Ishihara A. Ammonium nitrate–magnesium propellant combustion and heat transfer mechanisms. J Propuls Power. 1992;18(4):760–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Murata H, Azuma Y, Tohara T, Simoda M, Yamaya T, Hori K, Saito T. Effect of magnalium (Mg–Al Alloy) on combustion characteristics of ammonium nitrate based solid propellant. Kayaku Gakkaishi. 2000;61(2):58–66.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Backstead MV, Derr RL, Price CF. A model of composite solid propellant combustion based on multiple flame. AIAA J. 1970;8(12):2200–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Hermance CF. A model of composite propellant combustion including surface heterogeneity and heat generation. AIAA J. 1966;4(9):1629–37.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Fenn JB. A Phalanx flame model for the combustion of composite solid propellants. Combust Flame. 1968;12(3):201–16.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Andersen WH, Bills KW, Mishuck E, Moe G, Schultz RD. A model describing combustion of solid composite propellants containing ammonium nitrate. Combust Flame. 1959;3:301–17.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Chaiken RF. A thermal layer mechanism of combustion of solid composite propellants. Combust Flame. 1959;3:285–300.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Chaiken RF, Anderson WH. The role of binder in composite propellant combustion. Solid propellant rocket research, progress in astronautics and rocketry Vol. I. New York: Academic Press; 1960. p. 227–47.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Carvalheira P, Campos J. A combustion model for AN/HTPB-IPDI composite solid propellant. In: Proceeding of international conference on energetic materials-technology, manufacturing and processing, Institut Chemische Technologie, Germany, 1996, p. 12.1–12.21.

  20. Kondrikov BN, Annikov VE, Egorshev VU, DeLuca L, Bronzi C. Combustion of ammonium nitrate-based compositions, metal-containing and water impregnated compounds. J Propuls Power. 1999;15(6):763–71.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Sarner SF. Propellant chemistry. New York: Reinhold Publishing Corporation; 1966.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Kadiresh PN, Sridhar BTN. Experimental study on ballistic behaviour of an aluminised AP/HTPB propellant during accelerated aging. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2010;100(1):331–5.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Yi J-H, Zhao F-Q, Ren Y-H, Wang B-Z, Zhou C, et al. BTATz-CMDB propellants, high-pressure thermal properties and their correlation with burning rates. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2011;104(3):1029–36.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Munjal NL, Joshi PC, Shrivastava BP. Burning rate studies of HTPB-AP composite solid propellants. National convention on Indian space programme for 2000 & beyond a prospective, BIT Mesra, India, Dec 1998, p. 197–215.

  25. Rastogi RP, Syal V. Pressure dependence of catalysed and inhibited burning rate of composite solid propelants. Indian J Chem. 1989; 28A:452–7.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Varma M, Pandey M. Thermal decomposition studies on catalysed ammonium nitrate. In: Proceeding, HEMCE 2000, of the 3rd international convention on high energy materials, VSSC Trivendrum, India, 6–8 Dec, 2000, p. 182–188.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology, Majitar, Sikkim, India

    M. Pandey & S. Jha

  2. Department of Chemistry, Ranchi University, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India

    R. Kumar, S. Mishra & R. R. Jha

Authors
  1. M. Pandey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. Jha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. R. Kumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. S. Mishra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. R. R. Jha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Pandey.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pandey, M., Jha, S., Kumar, R. et al. The pressure effect study on the burning rate of ammonium nitrate-HTPB-based propellant with the influence catalysts. J Therm Anal Calorim 107, 135–140 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-011-1718-z

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-011-1718-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation