EnvironmentallyEnvironmentally BenignBenign BlackBlack SmokeSmoke PyrotechnicPyrotechnic FormulationFormulation
Dr. Gary Chen PyrotechnicPyrotechnic ResearchResearch && TechnologyTechnology BranchBranch U.S.U.S. ArmyArmy RDECOM-ARDECRDECOM-ARDEC Picatinny,Picatinny, NJNJ 07806-500007806-5000 Presented by Mr. Noah Lieb HughesHughes Associates,Associates, Inc.Inc.
Technology to the Warfighter Quicker AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements
Maryalice Miller, Program Director Research, Development & Engineering Command- Environmental Acquisition and Logistics Sustainment Program
Bill Ruppert, Ordnance Environmental Program Manager Hughes Associates, Inc.
Dr. Mark Johnson U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine
Jim Wejsa, Branch Chief Picatinny Pyrotechnics R&T Branch BackgroundBackground
• Black smoke is an integrated part of pyrotechnics used to simulate battlefield effects and realisms (target hit, target kill, flash, sound, etc.) during pre-deployment training • Old GUFS/ATKS systems (M26 Target Kill) have been phased out with Battlefield Effect Simulator (BES) • Target Kill Simulator is used to cue the gunner and tank crew on live-fire ranges of a killed target by emitting black smoke when a target is struck • Old black smoke formulation contains naphthalene or anthracene and potassium perchlorate • There is no black smoke simulator currently available due to environmental impacts NaphthaleneNaphthalene
• Old black smoke formulation contains naphthalene (benzene ring type) which is a possible carcinogen. • Naphthalene (two benzene rings side by side) • Highest risk from inhalation • Binds weakly to soils and sediment – Easily passes through sandy soils to reach underground water • Potential combustion products: benzene ring type compounds ‘Old’‘Old’ Composition/Composition/ SystemSystem
ATKS M26 Target Kill Simulator ProjectProject DescriptionDescription
• System – Black smoke formulation and process are compatible to all BES systems (Force on Target and Force on Force) • Performance Requirements (Subject to change): – Burn Time: 20-25 seconds (Discretion of user) – Smoke Type: black smoke – Smoke Visibility Distance: 1800 meters • Initial Goal – Demonstration on Titan OMEGA system SmokeSmoke MechanismMechanism
• Pyrotechnic Black Smoke (primary approach) – Old method - Black smoke (essentially the carbon particles suspended in air) is produced by burning organic compounds laden with carbon and hydrogen. – New method – Heat up colored dye to sublimation and recondense in air to create black colored smoke • Physically Generated Black Smoke (alternate approach) – Black smoke is generated through dispersing black carbon particles in the air with a pyrotechnic – Focus on physical assembly and selection of dispersion pyrotechnic EnvironmentalEnvironmental HealthHealth AssessmentAssessment
Igniter Composition
Combustion Human Ecologic Persistence Transport Products Health Health Data Gaps
Charcoal
Gum Arabic
Potassium Nitrate
Water (cold)
Likely Benign Possible Problem Probable Problem
Unknown EnvironmentalEnvironmental HealthHealth AssessmentAssessment Black Smoke Composition
Combustion Human Ecologic Persistence Transport Products Health Health Data Gaps Magnesium Carbonate Potassium Chlorate VAAR Stearic Acid Ethyl Acetate
Black Powder (BP) Solvent Green 3
Disperse Red 9 . Disperse Red 11 Solvent Red 1 Sugar (Sucrose)
Likely Benign Possible Problem Probable Problem Unknown SmallSmall ScaleScale SmokeSmoke TestTest Set-upSet-up
Crucible Smoke Test Small Pellet Smoke Test CrucibleCrucible SmokeSmoke TestTest
Black smoke, 15 seconds, thick *Potassium chlorate SmallSmall PelletPellet SmokeSmoke TestTest
Variation of SS-660 Less soot but smoke remains thin, duration of 8 seconds PhysicalPhysical DispersionDispersion ApproachApproach
• Approach: Three carbon samples were evaluated during initial testing • Outdoor Tests: – 2 gms Class 7 Black Powder was loaded in a 20 Microtrac: Sterling R X76 gauge shotgun shell 6 100
90 – The samples were then 5 80
70 tested in the open using an 4 60 electric match as the 3 50 40 2 ignition source 30 Percent perChannel Cummulative Percent 20 1 10
0 0 0.1 1 10 100 1000 Diamter (microns) Video:Video: FormulationFormulation SS-854SS-854 CurrentCurrent WorkWork
• Phase II testing completed – Produced and tested 300 cartridges for the Titan Dynamic Systems • Downselected to final formulation • Phase III testing underway ImplementationImplementation
• Integration and Leveraging – Integrate developed formulations into BES system – Leverage resources available from the BES simulator production contractor • Transition Path – PM-Close Combat Systems (PM-CCS) funding engineering proposal & approval – Type classification – Hardware fabrication at production level – System performance qualification – Transportation/vibration testing – Final hazard classification and energetic material qualification – Safety & environmental approval – Material Release • Endorsements – PM-CCS – PEO-Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation (STRI) Questions?Questions?
• Contact Picatinny Pyrotechnics R&T Branch – Dr. Gary Chen • [email protected] • 973-724-2663 – Shawna Showalter • [email protected] • 973-724-4954 – Gretel Raibeck • [email protected] • 973-724-3081