Process for preparing modified black powder pellets

A process for preparing black powder pellets consisting essentially of potassium nitrate, sulfur and carbon, which comprises:

• dissolving the potassium nitrate in water,
• mixing the aqueous potassium nitrate solution with an alcoholic precipitating medium, the aqueous potassium nitrate solution and the alcoholic medium being such that the potassium nitrate is essentially insoluble in the resulting mixture and precipitates therefrom in particulate form,
• incorporating in the aqueous potassium nitrate solution or the alcoholic medium prior to the mixing step, the sulfur having an average particle size not greater than about 10 microns, the carbon selected from the group consisting of wood charcoal having an average particle size not greater than about 50 microns in longest dimension, and carbon black having an average particle size not exceeding about 100 millimicrons and a surface area not less than about 20 square meters per gram, and mixtures thereof, and a small amount of a polyvinyl pyrrolidone,
• separating the resulting particulate mixture of potassium nitrate, sulfur and carbon containing polyvinyl pyrrolidone from said resulting mixture,
• drying the particulate mixture, and
• pressing the dry particulate black powder mixture into pellets.