Solid propellant formualtions producing acid neutralizing exhaust
AssigneeThiokol Corporation
InventorsGary K. Lund, Mark J. Spinti, Daniel W. Doll
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Scavenging and neutralization of HCl from the exhaust plume of a solid grain rocket motor is achieved by including elemental magnesium as the sole metallic component. The magnesium acts both as a propellant fuel and as a scavenger of halogen acids derived form the halogenic oxidizer. Combustion of the high energy propellant produces an exhaust plume from which the halogen acids are scavenged.
Claims18
A composite solid rocket propellant formulation comprising:
- from about 60% to about 70% ammonium perchlorate;
- from about 19% to about 27% free metal, said metal acting both as a fuel within the propellant formulation and as a chloride ion scavenger, such that upon burning the propellant, substantially all of the chloride ion produced reacts with said free metal, said free metal being selected from the group consisting of lithium, calcium, strontium, and magnesium, said free metal having a particle size of from about 90 microns to about 1 millimeter;
- between about 0% and 3% free metal other than said free metal fuel and chloride ion scavenger;
- from about 0.0001% to about 1.0% burn rate catalyst;
- from about 5% to about 21% halogen-free binder.
A method for substantially eliminating the formation of hydrochloric acid upon the burning of a rocket motor propellant, which propellant would otherwise produce reactive chloride ion, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a rocket motor propellant comprising from about 60% to about 70% ammonium perchlorate;
- from about 19% to about 27% free metal, said metal acting both as a fuel within the propellant formulation and as a chloride ion scavenger, said free metal being selected from the group consisting of lithium, calcium, strontium, and magnesium, said free metal having a particle size of from about 90 microns to about 1 millimeter;
- from about 0.0001% to about 1.0% burn rate catalyst;
- and from about 5% to about 21% halogen-free binder;
- and
- burning said propellant such that substantially all of the chloride ion produced during burning reacts with said free metal fuel and chloride scavenger.
A composite solid rocket propellant formulation producing a hydrochloric acid-neutralizing exhaust, comprising:
- from about 60% to about 70% particulate ammonium perchlorate oxidizer;
- from about 19% to about 27% free metal selected from the group consisting of lithium, calcium, strontium, and magnesium;
- and
- from about 5% to about 21% halogen free liquid aliphatic rubber binder;
- and
- at least one burn rate catalyst;
- said composition being substantially free of any other free metals, such that upon burning said free metal defined above scavenges substantially all of the chloride ion produced.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.