Some Observations on the Ignition of Composite Solid Propellants

  • K. Kishore Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
  • S. Sankaralingam Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
  • R. Nagarajan Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
  • K. Mohandas Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
Keywords: Propellant ignition, Pyrolysed polymer products, Heat flux

Abstract

Heat-up times derived from studies on the ignition characteristics of a few model composite solid propellants, containing polystyrene, carboxy-terminated polybutadiene, plasticised polyvinyl chloride and polyphenol formaldehyde as binders, show that they are directly proportional to the mass of the sample and inversely proportional to the heat flux. Propellant weight-loss prior to ignition and high pressure ignition temperature data on the propellants, ammonium per chlorate, and binders show that the ignition is governed by the gasification of the binder pyrolysis products. The activation energy for the gasification of the pyrolysed polymer products corresponds to their ignition behaviour suggesting that propellant ignition is controlled by the binder.

Author Biographies

K. Kishore, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
S. Sankaralingam, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
R. Nagarajan, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
K. Mohandas, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
Published
2013-01-01
How to Cite
Kishore, K., Sankaralingam, S., Nagarajan, R., & Mohandas, K. (2013). Some Observations on the Ignition of Composite Solid Propellants. Defence Science Journal, 45(3), 243-254. https://doi.org/10.14429/dsj.45.4131
Section
Chemical Science & Technology

Most read articles by the same author(s)