KMC PAMPHLET AMCP 706-175 ENGINEERING DESIGN HANDBOOK EXPLOSIVES SERIES SOLID PROPELLANTS PART ONE By A. M. Ball CONSISTING OF CHAPTERS 1-10 PREFACE This handbook has been prepared as one of a series on Explosives. It is part of a group of handbooks covering the engineering principles and fundamental data needed in the development of Army materiel, which (as a group) constitutes the Engineering Design Handbook Series of the Army Materiel Command. This handbook presents information on the design, functioning and manufacture of solid propellants for use in propelling charges for guns and rockets. The text and illustrations for this handbook were prepared by Hercules Powder Company under subcontract to the Engineering Hand­ book Office of Duke University, prime contractor to the Army Research Office-Durham for the Engineering Design Handbook Series. Agencies of the Department of Defense, having need for Handbooks, may submit requisitions or official requests directly to Publications and Reproduction Agency, Letterkenny Army Depot, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania 17201. Contractors should submit such requisitions or requests to their contracting officers. Comments and suggestions on this handbook are welcome and should be addressed to Army Research Office-Durham, Box CM, Duke Station, Durham, North Carolina 27706. TABLE OF CONTENTS Paragraph Page PREFACE.............................................................................................. ii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS............................................................. viii LIST OF TABLES................................................................................ x LIST OF SYMBOLS............................................................................ xi CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1 PURPOSE................................................................................................ 1 2 DEFINITIONS....................................................................................... 1 3 PLAN........................................................................................................ 1 REFERENCES....................................................................................... 2 CHAPTER 2 EVOLUTION OF GASES BY PROPELLANTS 4 GENERAL.............................................................................................. 3 5 EQUATION OF STATE...................................................................... 3 6 BALLISTIC PARAMETERS............................................................... 3 6-1 Specific Force....................................................................................... 4 6-2 Characteristic Velocity......................................................................... 4 6-3 Reduced Characteristic Velocity....................................................... 4 6-4 Specific Impulse.................................................................................... 4 6-5 Reduced Specific Impulse................................................................... 4 6-6 Volume Specific Impulse..................................................................... 5 6-7 Gas Horsepower................................................................................... 5 7 THERMOCHEMISTRY....................................................................... 5 7-1 Specific Gas Volume............................................................................ 5 7-2 Flame Temperature at Constant Volume......................................... 6 7-3 Flame Temperature at Constant Pressure........................................ 6 7-4 Ratio of Specific Heats........................................................................ 6 7-5 Exact Calculation of Flame Temperature and Product Composition..................................................................................... 7 7-6 Hirschfelder-Sherman Calculation..................................................... 7 7-7 Example Calculation of F, cj, I,°v by the Hirschfelder-Sherman Method.............................................................................................. 9 7-8 ABL Short Calculation for Specific Impulse..................................... 10 8 MEASUREMENT OF BALLISTIC PARAMETERS................... 10 8-1 Measurement of Heat of Explosion.................................................. 10 8-2 Measurement of Specific Force.......................................................... 10 8-3 Measurement of Characteristic Velocity........................................... 11 8-4 Measurement of Specific Impulse...................................................... 11 8-5 Example Calculation of from Measured (del) at Non­ standard Conditions............................................... 11 9 BURNING OF PROPELLANTS...................................................... 12 9-1 Effect of Pressure....................................................................... 13 9-2 Effect of Temperature....................................................................... 14 9-3 Effect of Gas Velocity.Erosive Burning.......................................... 15 9-4 Effect of Composition....................................................................... 15 iii TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Paragraph Page 9-5 Burning Rate of Composite Propellants.......................................... 16 9-6 Problem of Unstable Burning............................................................ 17 9-7 Transition from Deflagration to Detonation................................... 17 10 PROPELLANT GRAIN........................................................................ 17 11 SCHEDULING OF MASS RATE....................................................... 19 11-1 Gun........................................................................................................ 19 11-2 Catapult................................................................................................ 20 11-3 Rocket Motor....................................................................................... 22 11-4 Calculation of a Rocket Propellant Charge.................................... 22 11-5 Gas Generator..................................................................................... 24 11-6 Calculation of a Gas Generator Propellant Charge....................... 24 REFERENCES...................................................................................... 24 CHAPTER 3 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES REQUIREMENTS 12 GENERAL............................................................................................... 27 13 DENSITY................................................................................................. 27 14 GRAVIMETRIC DENSITY................................................................ 27 15 HYGROSCOPICITY.............................................................................. 27 16 COEFFICIENT OF THERMAL EXPANSION............................... 28 17 THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY............................................................ 28 18 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES........................................................... 28 18-1 Ultimate Tensile Strength................................................................... 28 18-2 Elongation in Tension......................................................................... 28 18-3 Modulus in Tension............................................................................. 28 18-4 Stress Relaxation.................................................................................. 28 18-5 Creep...................................................................................................... 31 18-6 Compressive Strength.......................................................................... 31 18-7 Deformation at Rupture in Compression........................................ 31 18-8 Modulus in Compression.................................................................... 31 18-9 Shear Properties................................................................................... 31 18-10 Brittle Temperature.............................................................................. 31 REFERENCES...................................................................................... 31 CHAPTER 4 BLACK POWDER 19 GENERAL............................................................................................... 33 20 APPEARANCE........................................................................................ 33 21 COMPOSITION...................................................................................... 33 22 GRANULATION.................................................................................... 33 23 THERMOCHEMISTRY........................................................................ 33 24 HYGROSCOPICITY.............................................................................. 36 25 SHELF LIFE............................................................................................ 36 26 MANUFACTURING PROCESS......................................................... 36 27 USES..................................................................................................... 37 REFERENCES...................................................................................... 41 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Paragraph Page CHAPTER 5 CRYSTALLINE MONOPROPELLANTS 28 GENERAL.............................................................................................. 42 29 NITROGUANIDINE........................................................................... 42 30 RDX........................................................................................................