CA1263238A - Combustion inhibitors - Google Patents

Combustion inhibitors

Info

Publication number
CA1263238A
CA1263238A CA000198625A CA198625A CA1263238A CA 1263238 A CA1263238 A CA 1263238A CA 000198625 A CA000198625 A CA 000198625A CA 198625 A CA198625 A CA 198625A CA 1263238 A CA1263238 A CA 1263238A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
combustion inhibitor
inhibitor according
glycol
less
isocyanate
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA000198625A
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
CA198625S (en
Inventor
Stuart Gordon
Geoffrey Ian Evans
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Imperial Metal Industries Kynoch Ltd
Original Assignee
Imperial Metal Industries Kynoch Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Imperial Metal Industries Kynoch Ltd filed Critical Imperial Metal Industries Kynoch Ltd
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1263238A publication Critical patent/CA1263238A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C06EXPLOSIVES; MATCHES
    • C06BEXPLOSIVES OR THERMIC COMPOSITIONS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS EXPLOSIVES
    • C06B45/00Compositions or products which are defined by structure or arrangement of component of product
    • C06B45/12Compositions or products which are defined by structure or arrangement of component of product having contiguous layers or zones
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02KJET-PROPULSION PLANTS
    • F02K9/00Rocket-engine plants, i.e. plants carrying both fuel and oxidant therefor; Control thereof
    • F02K9/08Rocket-engine plants, i.e. plants carrying both fuel and oxidant therefor; Control thereof using solid propellants
    • F02K9/26Burning control

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Crystallography & Structural Chemistry (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Polyurethanes Or Polyureas (AREA)
  • Compositions Of Macromolecular Compounds (AREA)

Abstract

A B S T R A C T
A combustion inhibitor for a solid propellant charge formed from a mixture of a polyether glycol or a polyester glycol and an isocyanate.

Description

~2~3Z38 I`his invention relates to inhibitors for solid propellants, and is particularly, hut not exclusively, concerned with solid propellants which have a low smoke exhaust.
Solid propellant rocket motors include a charge of propellant, an inhibitor on certain parts of the charge to control the area of burning surface, and an outer case. The inhibitor is used to control locally the burning area of the propellant so that the charge burns in the desired geometrical manner. The inhibitor needs to be chemically and physically compatible with the charge. The inhibitor may be completely or partially consumed during the firing of the rocket motor.
If a rocket motor emits smoke, the trail can betray the firing point of the missile, and its trajectory. Exhaust smoke obscures the target and missile from the person firing the missile which is particularly disadvantage-ous if the missile is being visually guided along the line of sight to its target. Thus, frequently one of the major requirements of a rocket motor is that smoke emission during combustion should be as low as possible. This condition is provided by the use of double base propellant, but inert parts, largely the charge inhibitor, prevent the achievement of a "smokeless"
exhaust.
Additionally propellant charges are widely used as gas generators or power cartridges for mechanical operations and in such circumstances smoke condensate is a nuisance because it can foul the area into which it is dis-charged and cause interference with valve mechanisms and moving surfaces.
The term "double base propellant" where used in this specification includes nitrocellulose with nitroglycerine or other liquid nitric ester with or without other additives, eg chemical stabilizers, plasticisers, ballistic modifiers, oxidisers such as ammonium perchlorate, and fuels such as aluminium powder.
By the present invention there is provided a combustion inhibitor for inhibiting ignition of a portion of a solid propellant charge after another portion thereof has been ignited comprising a mixture of a polyether glycol or a polyester glycol and an isocyanate.

P~

323~3 73117-~

Preferably tile gLycol is a polyether glycol of low molecular weight leas t'nan 1000 and a high ratio of oxygen to carbon content of about 0.7:1 and preferably approachLng 1:1. Such a polyether glycol should produce little smoke.
The combustion inhibitor may include a catalyst to increase the amount oE cross-linking between the glycol and the isocyanate; the catalyst is preferably specific to the isocyanate-glycol reaction, and an example of such a catalyst is phenyl mercuric acetate.
Plasticisers may be used to make a softer product, in which case they preferably have a low molecular weight of less than 500 and are preferably aliphatic with a high oxygen to carbon ratio, preferably not less than 1:1.
Examples of useful plasticisers are triethyl citrate, which has a molecular weight of 212 and triacetin which has a molecular weight oE 184.
The combustion :Lnhibitor may or may not include a molecular sieve or o o silica having a particle size from lA to lOA to reduce moisture effects, and these may be present in amounts up to 2% of the inhibitor.
PreEerably the isocyanate is a low molecular weight aliphatic iso-cyanate in order to produce less smoke than would be the case with an isocya-nate which i8 aromatic and/or is of higher molecular weight. In this context, a low molecular weight means a molecular weight of less than 500. An example of a low molecular weight aliphatic isocyanate is tri-methyl hexamethylene diisocyanate which has a molecular weight of 210.
There may be a filler or Eillers in the inhibi-tor and these may be chosen from compound having a low carbon to oxygen ratio of 1:1 or less, such as cellulose, carbohydrates, oxamide, polyoxymethylene, urea formaldehyde, urea oxalate, and tartaric acid. Other suitable fillers are in particulate form and are elemental carbon and oxides, hydroxides, carbonates, and nitrates of at least one element selected from:

.~

~L~6~8 (a) m.~ esium, cn1cium, z:inc, lt:ron~ rr" ca(imi~ n3 barinm;
(b) boron ~nd aluminiuln;
(c) silicon and tit1?nium;
(d) arsenic, antimony and bismuth; and (e) iron, cobalt and nickel.
The filler material and the size of ths particles are such that expo3ire of the fi]led inhibitor to the combustion of the propellant charge in the rocket .~otor chamber results in a product wholly gaseous or containing par-ticles which are of a size less than 1 micron or grea+e- than 15 microns.
It can be understood from the above that for a chosen filler material, onl.y a simple experiment is needed to deci.de if the ~izes of the particles of filler material in the cornbu;3tion inhibition materi;al are irnportant, and if so which sizes are appropriate.
rrhe present invention further provides a solid proPellant charge to which is bonded a combustion inhibitor comprising a mixture of a polyether glycol or a polyester glycol and an isocyanate.
~here is furthe:r provided by the present invention a method of manu-facturing a solid propellant charge comprising manufacturing a combustion inhibitor subst~tntially as described in any one of Examples 1 to 3 herein, and bonding it to a solid propellant.
Typical Examples of the intrention will noT.r be described.
Example 1 rrhere are mixed together 100 parts by ~Jeight of ICI Dalto Cast 2, a polyether glycol of general formula:
H -0- (CX2-C -0 ) CH-0- ( CX3 ) n
2 o (CH2 ~ ~
\ 3 / n ~ ~6~

~0 parts of trimethyl he~ameth~/lene diisoc-yanate, f OCN-CH2 - C - C~I2-CH-CX -CH -NC0 50 p~rts triacetin as a plasticiser, forrQula 1l f H2-o-c-cH

C -- O -- C -- CH

1 If 0.2 parts phenyl mercuric acetate as a catalyst 50 parts ferric oxide as a filler and 1 part molecular sieve size 2~.
The mixture is mixed in the liquid state and is cast around a propellant grain before it sets.
Example 2 An altr3rnative mixture which can be used is 100 parts polyesterglycol, formula ¦-C-- ~ 2-C~-R-C0-0- (CX2-1H-0) ¦ 3 n R-C0-0- CH2-CX-0 ~
1H3 /n where R is an aromatic radical and the polyester glycol has a low molecular weight of less than 1000 and a high oxygen to carbon ratio above 0.7:1 and preferably approqchin~

~ 5 ~3~38 to~--th~r wi.th ~0 parts 4.-~ diphenyl me-thlne diisocyanate sv~ilable co~merclally ~rom ICI as ICT Suprasec DNC and h~lving th~ for~ula OCN - ~ ~ ~ C~2 ~ ~ ~ NCO, 0.2 parts phenyl melcuric acetate . ~ - COO-Hg-COO-CH~ as a catal~/3t, 50 par-ts triethyl citrate as a plasticiser CEI2 .C02( C2H5 ) j . 2(C2H5) C~2 . C2 ( C 2H5 ) 100 parts polyoxymethylene (CH20)n as a filler, and 2 parts molecular sieve size 10~.
The mixture is made up in liquid form as before at room temperature, and cast be-fore solidification. The mixture can be cast around a propellant grain.
Exam~
In a third example of this invention, -there are mixed together 100 parts by weight of ICI Dalto Cast 2, a polyether glycol of the general formula ~iven in Example 1 above 77 par-ts of trimethyl hexamethylene diisocyanate of formula given in Example 1 above 40 parts as plasticiser of dibutyl carbitol formal ( C4HgOC2H40C2H40 ) 2CH2 0.2 parts phenyl mercuric acetate as the catalyst and 88 parts of oxamide of formula (CONH2)2 as the filler.
The mixture is made up in liquid form at room temperature, and cast before i-t solidifies.

~,~6323~

One of the importar1t f,lture3 of the combu: tion inhil)i~or of th?
illVentlOII i9 i~s lo-,l smokc Olltput during burning. If particular mechanic--'properties such as strength or abrasion resistance are required, the filler content can be increased.
In a comparative test, a 150~ diameter solid propellant charge of cast double base propellant was provided with a combustion inhibitor of a qtandard cellulose base f'orm. It was fired with a 26 second burning time, and there was measured the obscuration of light transmission by the exhaust fumes in the direction along the axis of the charge. In this test, polarisec light is transmitted in the re~uired direction, and a photo~eter is used to indicate the percentage loss of light. The result found was that about 30 of the light was obscured.
Comparative tests were carried out with the same form of propellant charge but having an inhibitor based on each one of the three Exa~ples abo-.e.
In the same firing and measurement conditions, various obscuration measuremen-s were obtained which ran~ed from 0 to 5%. These tests clearly show the import~nt reduction in smoke production using the inhibitors of the ~xamples.
Another advantage of the invention is the fact that the inhibitor can be cast prior to solidification, which me~ns thqt it can be used to "pot"
grains of propellant, or can be casttof~rmmoulds into which the propellant can be subsequently cast.
For lo~ smoke output, the polymer and organic fillers are preferably aliph~tic compounds rather than aromatic. Also low molecular weights ard short chain len~gths with minimum chain branching are pre~erable for the same reason. A high oxygen to carbon ratio is essential for low smoke.

.~

Claims (15)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A combustion inhibitor for inhibiting ignition of a portion of a solid propellant charge after another portion thereof has been ignited com-prising a mixture of a polyether glycol or a polyester glycol and an iso-cyanate.
2. A combustion inhibitor according to claim 1 wherein the glycol is a polyether glycol which has a low molecular weight of less than 1000 and a high oxygen to carbon ratio of above 0.7:1.
3. A combustion inhibitor according to claim 2 wherein the polyether glycol has an oxygen to carbon ratio approaching 1:1.
4. A combustion inhibitor according to claim 1 also including a catalyst to increase the amount of cross-linking between the glycol and the isocyanate.
5. A combustion inhibitor according to claim 4 wherein the catalyst is specific to the isocyanate/glycol reaction.
6. A combustion inhibitor according to claim 5 wherein the catalyst is phenyl mercuric acetate.
7. A combustion inhibitor according to claim 1 including at least one plasticizer having a low molecular weight of less than 500.
8. A combustion inhibitor according to claim 7 wherein the plasticiser is aliphatic with a high oxygen to carbon ratio of not less than 1:1.
9. A combustion inhibitor according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the isocyanate is an aliphatic isocyanate of low molecular weight less than 500.
10. A combustion inhibitor according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the isocyanate is trimethyl hexamethylene diisocyanate.
11. A combustion inhibitor according to claim 1, 2 or 3 containing at least one filler having a low carbon to oxygen ratio of 1:1 or less and selected from the group consisting of cellulose, carbohydrates, oxamide, polyoxymethylene, urea formaldehyde, urea oxalate and tartaric acid.
12. A combustion inhibitor according to claim 1, 2 or 3 containing a filler in particulate form and selected from the group consisting of elemental carbon and oxides, hydroxides, carbonates, and nitrates of at least one element selected from:
(a) magnesium, calcium, zinc, strontium, cadmium and barium;
(b) boron and aluminium;
(c) silicon and titanium;
(d) arsenic, antimony and bismuth; and (e) iron, cobalt and nickel;
the filler material and the size of the particles being such that exposure of the filled inhibitor to the combustion of the propellant charge in the rocket motor chamber results in a product wholly gaseous or containing particles which are of a size less than 1 micron or greater than 15 microns.
13. A solid propellant charge to which is bonded a combustion inhibitor as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3.
14. A solid propellant charge to which is bonded a combustion inhibitor as claimed in claim 4, 5 or 6.
15. A solid propellant charge to which is bonded a combustion inhibitor as claimed in claim 7 or 8.
CA000198625A 1973-05-11 1974-05-01 Combustion inhibitors Expired CA1263238A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB22678/73A GB1605320A (en) 1973-05-11 1973-05-11 Improvements in or relating to combustion inhibitors
GB22678/73 1973-05-11

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1263238A true CA1263238A (en) 1989-11-28

Family

ID=10183337

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000198625A Expired CA1263238A (en) 1973-05-11 1974-05-01 Combustion inhibitors

Country Status (7)

Country Link
AU (1) AU588517B1 (en)
CA (1) CA1263238A (en)
DE (1) DE2422603C1 (en)
FR (1) FR2633282B1 (en)
GB (1) GB1605320A (en)
IT (1) IT1209901B (en)
NO (1) NO741641L (en)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2564457B1 (en) * 1984-05-17 1986-09-26 Poudres & Explosifs Ste Nale COMBUSTION INHIBITOR BASED ON ALIPHATIC POLYURETHANE ELASTOMER FOR PROPERGOL, AND BLOCK COATED WITH THIS INHIBITOR
US6051087A (en) * 1992-01-29 2000-04-18 Cordant Technologies Inc. Low smoke rocket motor liner compositions

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1200184B (en) * 1963-11-16 1965-09-02 Nitrochemie G M B H Process for the production of solid propellants provided with an insulating layer
DE1809360C3 (en) * 1968-11-16 1978-09-21 Dynamit Nobel Ag, 5210 Troisdorf Composition for the production of synthetic resins and endothermic decomposing substances containing, optionally heat-curable insulation layers on solid rocket propellants and a method for isolating these propellants using this compound
CH514515A (en) * 1969-09-30 1971-10-31 Oerlikon Buehrle Ag Method for applying an insulating material to a solid propellant
BE790069A (en) * 1971-10-15 1973-02-01 North American Rockwell IMPROVEMENTS TO SOLID PROPULSION AGENTS

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NO741641L (en) 1989-05-18
GB1605320A (en) 1989-07-19
AU588517B1 (en) 1989-09-21
NO113586C (en) 1978-01-25
DE2422603C1 (en) 1989-11-23
FR2633282B1 (en) 1994-01-28
FR2633282A1 (en) 1989-12-29
IT1209901B (en) 1989-08-30

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US9199887B2 (en) Propellant compositions including stabilized red phosphorus and methods of forming same
EP0440873B1 (en) Improved primer composition
CA2556595C (en) Priming mixtures for small arms
US5074938A (en) Low pressure exponent propellants containing boron
US5610367A (en) Non-toxic rim-fire primer
CZ159396A3 (en) Lead-free primer mixture and cartridge primer containing such mixture
US3650856A (en) Red phosphorus castable smoke producing composition
EP1829849B1 (en) Nontoxic, noncorrosive phosphorus based primer composition, a percussion cap primer comprising the same and ordnance including the same
JPH02157177A (en) Solid rocket fuel
CA2589014C (en) Propulsion system for the acceleration of projectiles
US4536235A (en) Combustion inhibitors on a base of oxygenated polyurethane elastomer which contains fibers for the double base propellant
Bunyan et al. The degradation and stabilisation of solid rocket propellants
JPH0717474B2 (en) Combustion inhibitors for propellants and propellants coated with the inhibitors
US4002514A (en) Nitrocellulose propellant composition
US3841929A (en) Solid propellant containing strontium carbonate-calcium citrate burning rate depressant
CA1263238A (en) Combustion inhibitors
WO2001021558A1 (en) Non-toxic and non-corrosive ignition mixture
US11112222B2 (en) Propellant with pattern-controlled burn rate
US2942964A (en) Stable gas-generating composition
US2936225A (en) Ammonium nitrate propellant
US3532567A (en) Polyurethane propellant compositions prepared with hydroxy-terminated polyesters
US2992911A (en) Process for preparing rocket fuel containing polymerized olefins and boron
US3963544A (en) Priming formulation for rim fire ammunition
KR102633762B1 (en) Insensitive smokeless solid propellant composition comprising N-Guanylurea dinitramide
US6026749A (en) Multiple base propellant with combustion inhibitor

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
MKLA Lapsed