Mechanical analysis on rocket propellants

The mechanical properties of solid rocket propellants are very important for good functioning of rocket motors. During use and storage the mechanical properties of rocket propellants are changing, due to chemical and mechanical influences such as thermal reactions, oxidation reactions or vibrations. These influences can result in malfunctioning, leading to an unwanted explosion of the rocket motor. Most of modern rocket propellants consist of a polymer matrix (i.e. HTPB) filled with a crystalline material (i.e. AP, AN). However, the more conventional double base propellants consist of a solid gel matrix with additives, such as stabilizers. Both materials show a mechanical behaviour, quite similar to that of general polymers. To describe the material behaviour of both propellants a linear visco-elastic theory is often used to describe the mechanical behaviour for small deformations. Because the time-temperature dependency is also valid for these materials a mastercurve can be constituted. With this mastercurve the response properties (stiffness) under extreme conditions can be determined. At TNO-PML a mastercurve of a double base propellant was constituted using dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA) and compared with a mastercurve reduced from conventional (static) stress relaxation tests. The mechanical properties of this double base propellant determined by DMA were compared with conventional (quasi-static) tensile test results. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Influence of molecular weight on the thermal decomposition of hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene

Thermogravimetric analysis of hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) and its fractions of different molecular weights separated by preparative GPC shows two major stages of weight loss of different nature in a nitrogen atmosphere. The first stage is primarily depolymerisation, cyclisation and crosslinking of molecules and the second stage is mainly the decomposition of the residue from the first stage. The kinetic parameters, viz. activation energy E and pre-exponential factor A using four different non-isothermal integral equations show a systematic increase with increase in molecular weight for the first stage, whereas for the second stage, the effect of molecular weight on E and A values is not prominent. The increase in E and A values for the first stage is attributed to the formation of greater number of cyclised and crosslinked products from molecules of higher dimensions. Quantitative correlations between the kinetic constants and the molecular weight parameters were derived for the first stage as a quadratic curve following the equation: E or ln A = K₁ − K₂/M (where K₁ and K₂ are empirical constants whose values are different for the different molecular weight averages, viz. M_n, M_w and M_z and for the different equations).     

Travelling wave mathematical analysis and efficient numerical resolution for a one-dimensional model of solid propellant combustion

We investigate a model of solid propellant combustion involving surface pyrolysis coupled to finite activation energy gas-phase combustion. Existence and uniqueness of a travelling wave solution are established by extending dynamical system tools classically used for premixed flames, dealing with the additional difficulty arising from the surface regression and pyrolysis. An efficient shooting method allows to solve the problem in phase space without resorting to space discretisation nor fixed-point Newton iterations. The results are compared to solutions from a CFD code developed at ONERA, assessing the efficiency and potential of the method, and the impact of the modelling assumptions is evaluated through parametric studies.     

酒石酸铅锆的制备、表征及其燃烧催化作用

以酒石酸、硝酸氧锆和硝酸铅为原料,合成出了双金属盐酒石酸铅锆,采用有机元素分析、X射线荧光光谱和FTIR对其进行了表征。在程序升温条件下,利用TG/DTG、DSC、固相原位反应池/FTIR联用技术,研究了酒石酸铅锆的热行为和热分解机理,描述了酒石酸铅锆的热分解过程,分析得出其最终分解产物为ZrO2、PbO和C。利用螺压工艺制备了含酒石酸铅锆的推进剂样品,研究了酒石酸铅锆对双基系推进剂燃烧性能的影响,分析了其燃烧催化作用。结果表明,酒石酸铅锆对双基系推进剂的燃烧具有良好的催化作用,是一种高效的燃烧催化剂;酒石酸铅锆热分解的最终产物PbO是催化燃烧的主要活性物质,推进剂燃烧过程中形成了氧化铅-铅循环催化体系,而锆和碳则起辅助催化的作用。     

Thermal Analysis of the High-Energetic Material HNF

In a search for new storable high performance propellants for the European Space Agency (ESA), the solid oxidiser hydrazinium nitroformate (HNF) has been identified as a very promising ingredient for a new storable composite propellant. The purity and stability of HNF after production are very important indicators for the quality of HNF. In order to characterise HNF,many thermal analysis techniques as DSC and TG/DTA were performed to obtain more information about its stability and its (in)compatibility with other materials. Also some less familiar techniques such as the vacuum stability test and microcalorimetry have been performed. In relation to the safety, a relation between the friction and impact sensitivity and the physical-chemical properties is made. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

低温预冷换热规律及表面改性影响研究

调研了低温管路预冷及两相换热的研究现状,阐述了低温预冷瞬态换热特性;介绍了金属表面改性对预冷规律的影响,仿真了低导热涂层管的预冷换热规律。研究发现:液氮预冷主要由膜态沸腾支配,且预冷耗时较长;液氢预冷未见膜态沸腾,预冷耗时更短。促进膜态沸腾向过渡沸腾的更早转化有利于预冷加速,且转化温度迁移可通过内壁表面结构改性实现,可采用的方法包括表面纳米微结构、低导热涂层、增加微肋结构等,讨论了结构改性对换热规律及预冷效率的影响。     

铁和锰的化学状态对 LaFexMnyAl12-x-yO19 催化剂上 N2O 分解的影响

 以共沉淀法制备了 LaFexMnyAl12-x-yO19 六铝酸盐催化剂, 并用 X 射线衍射、扫描电镜、N2 吸附-脱附、紫外-可见漫反射光谱和穆斯堡尔谱对催化剂进行了表征, 考察了催化剂上高浓度 N2O 分解反应的性能. 结果表明, 在所考察的条件下, Mn 比 Fe 更有利于促进六铝酸盐晶相的形成. LaFexAl12-xO19 (x = 0.5, 1) 中 Fe 以 Fe3+位于六铝酸盐尖晶石结构中的四面体位和镜面层结构中的三角双锥位, 其中后者为 N2O 分解的主要活性中心. LaMnyAl12-yO19 (y = 0.5, 1) 中 Mn 优先以 Mn2+进入四面体位, 然后以 Mn3+进入尖晶石结构中的八面体位, 并成为 N2O 分解的主要活性中心.     

Projectile acceleration in a single-stage gun at breech pressures below 50 MPa

Experimental studies were carried out to investigate projectile acceleration in a single-stage gun at breech pressures below 50 MPa. The gun was driven by firing either liquid or solid propellant. In-bore projectile velocity was continuously recorded using the well-known, precise VISAR interferometer technique so that accurate projectile acceleration data could be deduced. Both the attained projectile acceleration and muzzle exit velocity depend upon the charge-to-mass ratio and the pressure at which the blow-out disk ruptures. The results obtained from these experiments render information on the interplay between propellant combustion and projectile acceleration for low in-bore pressure regimes, and they provide the input data required for adequate numerical simulation.     

Evaluating the Thermal Hazard of Double-Base Propellant SQ-2 by Using Microcalorimetry Method

The thermal decomposition behavior of double‐base rocket propellant SQ‐2 was studied by a Calvet microcalorimeter at four different heating rates. The kinetic and thermodynamic parameters were obtained from the analysis of the heat flow curves. The critical temperature of thermal explosion (T_b), the self acceleration decomposition temperature (T_SADT), the adiabatic decomposition temperature rise (ΔT_ad), the time‐to‐explosion of adiabatic system (t), critical temperature of hot‐spot initiation (T_cr), critical thermal explosion ambient temperature (T_acr), safety degree (SD) and thermal explosive probability (P_TE) were presented to evaluate the thermal hazard of SQ‐2.     

模型复合推进剂燃烧转爆轰研究

本文较详细地研究了模型推进剂(AP/wax,AP/A1/wax,AP/RDX/A1/wax)由燃烧转爆轰(DDT)的过程。分析了装药密度和铝粉含量对装药DDT的影响。结果表明:模型推进剂当其配比接近零氧平衡时较易产生DDT;含与不含铝粉的AP/粘合剂系复合推进剂药柱以及硝胺含量为20％的AP/硝胺炸药/A1粘合剂系复合推进剂药柱都不可能产生DDT。