Boron-Based Fuel-Rich Solid Rocket Propellant Technology is a professional book that systematically introduces the latest research progress for boron-based fuel-rich solid propellants. It covers surface modifications, coating and agglomerating techniques, granulation, and characterization of amorphous boron powders, and its application to fuel-rich solid rocket propellants. Technologies for controlling the processing methods and combustion performance of fuel-rich propellants are examined, and the book concludes with a summary of the research progress in boron-based fuel-rich solid propellants and a look forward to the foreseeable development trends of military applications.

A thorough critical assessment of the state-of-the-art of boron fuel ignition/combustion has been carried out and areas of deficiency defined. An improved boron single particle ignition model treating the effects of water vapor on particle ignition has been developed. Boron single particle combustion models which include the effects of finite kinetics and correctly predict transition from a second-order dependence of burn time on particle size to a first-order dependence for small particle sizes have also been developed. Considerable progress has been made in developing an experimental apparatus and diagnostics for studying single boron particle ignition and combustion processes for small (less than 25 micron diameter) particles and for studying the kinetics of the critical (for ignition) liquid boric oxide-water vapor reaction. In addition, a test bed for study of the processes involved in burning of compacted boron solid fuel grains in a hot air crossflow has been designed and is under construction. Finally, a simplified model of processes occurring in a perfectly stirred reactor with a cloud of boron particles as the fuel has been developed and is being used in design of a test apparatus for study of boron dust cloud ignition and combustion. (Author).

Boron-Based Fuel-Rich Solid Rocket Propellant Technology is a professional book that systematically introduces the latest research progress for boron-based fuel-rich solid propellants. It covers surface modifications, coating and agglomerating techniques, granulation, and characterization of amorphous boron powders, and its application to fuel-rich solid rocket propellants. Technologies for controlling the processing methods and combustion performance of fuel-rich propellants are examined, and the book concludes with a summary of the research progress in boron-based fuel-rich solid propellants and a look forward to the foreseeable development trends of military applications.

Boron-Based Fuel-Rich Solid Rocket Propellant Technology is a professional book that systematically introduces the latest research progress for boron-based fuel-rich solid propellants. It covers surface modifications, coating and agglomerating techniques, granulation, and characterization of amorphous boron powders, and its application to fuel-rich solid rocket propellants. Technologies for controlling the processing methods and combustion performance of fuel-rich propellants are examined, and the book concludes with a summary of the research progress in boron-based fuel-rich solid propellants and a look forward to the foreseeable development trends of military applications.

This third edition of the classic on the thermochemical aspects of the combustion of propellants and explosives is completely revised and updated and now includes a section on green propellants and offers an up-to-date view of the thermochemical aspects of combustion and corresponding applications. Clearly structured, the first half of the book presents an introduction to pyrodynamics, describing fundamental aspects of the combustion of energetic materials, while the second part highlights applications of energetic materials, such as propellants, explosives and pyrolants, with a focus on the phenomena occurring in rocket motors. Finally, an appendix gives a brief overview of the fundamentals of aerodynamics and heat transfer, which is a prerequisite for the study of pyrodynamics. A detailed reference for readers interested in rocketry or explosives technology.

Ignition and combustion studies of boron, and highly magnesium-loaded formulations for air-agumented rocket applications are reported. Ignition and combustion characteristics of pure boron and of boron-containing particulate ejecta from highly-boron-loaded fuel-rich primary motor formulations were studied. Physical and chemical characteristics of the motor ejecta were studied and their ignition/combustion characteristics were compared to those for pure boron. The minimum surrounding temperature for ignition for the two materials was nearly identical but the ignition delay time was considerably lower for the motor ejecta material. Burning times for comparable size particles of each type were equal within experimental error. In the size range of interest (2 to 10 equal micron diameter), the burning was observed to be characterized by a d1-law (kinetics-limited combustion). Thermodynamic screening of possible highly-magnesium-loaded fuel-rich propellants was carried out and candidate castable and pressed formulations for air-augmented rocket applications were defined. Several were characterized in terms of their safety and ballistic properties. Experiments were performed to identify the characteristics of the exhaust products from combustion in the absence of air. These experiments indicated that considerable magnesium, with significant fraction of it in the gas phase is produced. The presence of such quantities of magnesium gas should result in excellent combustion of the product streams emanating from these propellants with air in a ramburner. Nozzle plugging and residue formation are possible problem areas.

An apparatus for measurement of the permeability of oxygen gas through liquid boric oxide as a function to temperature was designed and built. Numerous difficulties were encountered in the course of this study, the most intractable being the uptake of oxygen by vessel wall materials at rates which swamped the rate of transport across the liquid boric oxide film separating vessels with differing initial oxygen levels, resulting in data with an unusably low signal-to-noise ration. A burner and two-dimensional nozzle device were designed (and the burner constructed) for study of condensation of boron oxides and hydroxides (all to boric oxide, with elimination of hydrogen and excess oxygen as required by stoichiometry consideration in the latter case) from dry and wet combustion atmospheres, with and without seeding with submicron refractory solid particles as heterogeneous nuclei. In addition, diagnostic procedures for uses in this condensation study (to be actually performed under a subsequent AFWAL/PORT contract) were selected from a wide array of potential candidates. A condensation model treating the flow of boron-loaded combustion product strams through a C-E nozzle with simultaneous treatment of finite-rate kinetics for gas-phase reactions and finite-rate nucleation and particle growth processes was developed. Several plausible modeling options as regards nucleation and particle growth processes were included in this analysis. Equation development, computer coding, and model check out were completed, and parametric studies with the model were initiated during the course of this program.

Solid Propellant Rocket Research