Process for the preparation of solid rocket propellant and other solid explosives for thermal disposal or reclamation

Abstract

A method of thermally disposing a binder containing explosive that reduces the possibility of an unplanned detonation and also allows for the control of pollution. It is particularly adapted for solid rocket propellants. The method comprises cooling a binder containing explosive to a temperature below the Tg range of the binder, reducing the cooled explosive to a smaller size and burning the resultant explosive. Another aspect of this invention is directed to a method for reclaiming ammonium perchlorate from an explosive comprising ammonium perchlorate and a binder that reduces the possibility of an unplanned detonation. It is particularly adapted for solid rocket propellants. The method comprises cooling the explosive to a temperature below the Tg range of the binder, reducing the cooled explosive to a smaller size and chemically extracting the ammonium perchlorate.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.