Process of separating gun propellant components and useful byproducts thereof
AssigneeFoster-Miller, Inc.
InventorsNese Orbey, B. Michael Cushman, Marina Temchenko, Lev Bromberg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods for the separation of targeted components from gun propellant formulations. In particular, the methods separate targeted components in a usable/useful form. Preferred methods are directed to the separation of nitrocellulose, nitroguanidine and/or nitroglycerine from a formulation containing one or more of these components.
Claims45
A method for recovering components of a gun propellant formulation comprising nitroguanidine, nitrocellulose and nitro glycerine, the method comprising:
- adding a solvent to the formulation to solubilize the gun propellant formulation, wherein the nitroguanadine is insoluble in the solvent;
- separating the insoluble nitroguanidine out of the solubilized gun propellant formulation;
- adding at least one crosslinker to the formulation, wherein the crosslinker preferentially reacts with the nitrocellulose;
- and
- removing the cross-linked nitrocellulose from the solubilized gun propellant formulation, wherein the cross-linker is added to a solubilized gun propellant formulation that has been dried to remove water.
A method for recovering components of a gun propellant formulation comprising:
- adding a solvent to the gun propellant formulation to solubilize the gun propellant formulation, the gun propellant formulation comprising nitroguanadine, nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine, wherein the nitroguanadine is insoluble in the solvent;
- separating the insoluble nitroguanidine out of the solubilized gun propellant formulation;
- adding at least one cross-linker to the solubilized gun propellant formulation wherein the crosslinker preferentially reacts with the nitrocellulose resulting in precipitation of cross-linked nitrocellulose;
- and
- separating the cross-linked nitrocellulose from the solubilized gun propellant formulation, the solubilized gun propellant formulation containing at least about 50% of the nitroglycerine from the gun propellant formulation.
A method for recovering components of a gun propellant formulation, comprising:
- adding a solvent to the gun propellant formulation to solubilize the gun propellant formulation, the gun propellant formulation comprising nitroguanadine, nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine, wherein the nitroguanadine is insoluble in the solvent;
- separating the insoluble nitroguanidine out of the solubilized gun propellant formulation;
- adding at least one crosslinker to the solubilized gun propellant formulation, wherein the crosslinker preferentially reacts with the nitrocellulose to form a solubilized gun propellant formulation with solubilized nitroglycerine and cross-linked nitrocellulose;
- separating the cross-linked nitrocellulose out of the solubilized gun propellant formulation;
- and
- separating the nitroglycerine out of the solubilized gun propellant formulation by extraction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.