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US 2003/0192364 A1Published application
Propellant test apparatus and method
AssigneeAtlantic Research Corporation
InventorsFarid M. Khadduri, Guy Bruce Spear
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AssigneeAtlantic Research Corporation
InventorsFarid M. Khadduri, Guy Bruce Spear
Estimating the term…
A test apparatus and method for a solid propellant, comprising a combustion chamber for the solid propellant, an igniter for igniting propellant in the combustion chamber, and an exhaust housing having a primary exhaust channel extending from the combustion chamber to an exit nozzle. A supplemental exhaust channel is connected to the primary exhaust channel, and a valve controls the size of the supplemental exhaust channel to selectively vary the flow of propellant gases therethrough, thereby to selectively vary the combustion chamber pressure to enable the testing of the burning characteristics of the propellant over a wide pressure range independent of the burning surface area of the propellant. In a further embodiment, an auxiliary exhaust channel closed by a burst disk is connected to the primary exhaust channel. The burst disk is constructed to fail at a predetermined pressure to enable exhaust gases to be vented through the auxiliary exhaust channel in the event the gas pressure in the primary exhaust channel exceeds the predetermined pressure.
In a test apparatus for a solid propellant, comprising a combustion chamber for the solid propellant, an igniter for igniting propellant in the combustion chamber, and an exhaust housing having a primary exhaust channel extending from the combustion chamber to an exit nozzle, the improvement comprising:
In a method of testing a solid propellant in a combustion chamber wherein exhaust gases flow from the combustion chamber through a primary exhaust channel to an exit nozzle, the improvement comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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Investigating or analyzing materials by the use of thermal means: by investigating flash-point; by investigating explosibility
Fuels; Explosives: solid fuels, e.g. coal
Investigating or analysing materials by determining their chemical or physical properties
Term end not estimated
The present invention relates to apparatus and method for testing solid propellants and, more particularly, to a new and improved apparatus and method for testing solid propellants over a wide pressure range that is independent of the burning surface area of the propellant.
In previously used solid propellant test apparatus, the burning characteristics of the propellant have been tested under different pressures by varying the burning surface area of the propellant. While such test apparatus has performed satisfactorily, it has not been completely satisfactory in that it has only been possible to test the burning characteristics of the propellant over a limited number of pressures determined by the different burning surface areas of the propellant. A need has arisen, therefore, for a new and improved propellant test apparatus that is capable of testing solid propellants of different types over a wide pressure range independent of the burning surface area of the propellants. The test apparatus of the present invention fills this need.
The new and improved propellant test apparatus and method of the present invention provides a supplemental exhaust channel for the gases of the burning propellant being tested in addition to the normal or primary exhaust channel and exit nozzle at the end of the exhaust housing for the test apparatus. The flow of propellant gases through the supplemental exhaust channel is controlled by a valve of any suitable construction which can be controlled to vary the size of the supplemental exhaust channel over a wide range from fully open to fully closed. By varying the size of the supplemental exhaust channel, the flow of exhaust gases through the exit nozzle and the supplemental exhaust channel can be varied to control the combustion chamber pressure on the solid propellant being tested over a wide range that is independent of the burning surface area of the propellant. Accordingly, it is possible with the propellant test apparatus of the present invention to test the burning characteristics of different types of propellants over a wide pressure range that can be easily selectively controlled.
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view in section of a propellant test apparatus that is known in the prior art;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view in section of a first embodiment of the new and improved propellant test apparatus of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view in section of a second embodiment of the propellant test apparatus of the present invention;
FIG. 1 illustrates a test apparatus 10 for a solid propellant 12 of the type that is currently used and known in the prior art. The test apparatus 10 comprises a combustion chamber 14 in which the propellant 12 is mounted, an igniter 16 of any suitable type extending into the combustion chamber 14 for igniting the propellant 12, an exhaust channel 18 in an exhaust housing 20 extending from the combustion chamber 12 to an exit nozzle 22 of any suitable construction.
In order to test the burning characteristics of the solid propellant 12 under different pressures, the propellant is formed of a stepped construction such that the burning surface area will be reduced to lower the combustion chamber pressure as the propellant burns into smaller stepped surface areas. It will be readily seen, therefore, that this prior art test apparatus can only test the burning characteristics of the propellant over a limited pressure range determined by the size of the burning surface areas of the propellant.
FIG. 2 illustrates a first embodiment of the new and improved propellant test apparatus 110 of the present invention which comprises a combustion chamber 114 in which a solid propellant 112 of any suitable or desired type is mounted in any suitable manner, and an igniter 116 of any suitable type extending into the combustion chamber 114 for igniting the propellant 112. A primary exhaust channel 118 extends through an exhaust housing 120 from the combustion chamber 114 to an exit nozzle 122 of any suitable construction.