Investigating the effect of chemical ingredient modifications on the slow cook-off violence of ammonium perchlorate solid propellants on the laboratory scale

Abstract

Rocket propellants that contain ammonium perchlorate (AP) often have a violent response during slow heating. Two laboratory tests have been developed to determine the reaction violence of these materials. The first test was the Combustion Rate Analysis of a Slowly Heated Propellant (CRASH-P) test, which used dynamic pressure sensors to quantify the violence of the reaction. The second test used x-rays to measure physical changes in the propellants before ignition and their reaction violence through the deformation speed of the sample container. For this study, four propellant formulation modification categories were investigated. The propellants were investigated for their reaction violence and sample expansion before ignition.