G. N. Nechiporenko

Energetic capabilities of high-density composite solid propellants containing zirconium or its hydride

A comparative analysis of ballistic efficiency of various propellants containing Al, or Zr, or ZrH2 is performed. The analysis is carried out for compositions including various oxidizers and binders and, when applied to missiles, for different volume and mass characteristics. Replacement of aluminum with zirconium or its hydride is demonstrated to increase the missile velocity (or payload mass) almost for all compositions of composite solid propellants if the ratio of the propellant volume to the mass of the empty structure is smaller than approximately 1.0–1.4 liters/kg.

Phase state stabilization of ammonium nitrate for creating an oxidizing agent for smokeless gas-generating formulations yielding no toxic combustion products

Methods for phase stabilization of ammonium nitrate were sought for in order to considerably expand the application area of this oxidizing agent in various-purpose self-combustible formulations, including that in a new generation of gas-generating formulations for automobile air bags. New methods for stabilization of ammonium nitrate were studied and, in particular, a search was made for organic compounds that can stabilize ammonium nitrate even at their low content. The mechanism of phase state stabilization of ammonium nitrate by compounds of this kind was examined.

Combustion of zirconium-containing model compositions of solid propellant

The features of combustion of model compositions of a composite solid rocket propellant containing zirconium at a concentration of up to 40 wt % are investigated. Burning rates at pressures of from 20 to 80 atm and the parameters of the combustion law are measured. Comparison with combustion of similar aluminum-based compositions is carried out. Compositions with compound (zirconium along with aluminum in various proportions) metal fuels are investigated. The application of zirconium as a metal fuel is shown to substantially increase the burning rate in comparison with compositions based on aluminum.

Dependence of specific impulse and combustion temperature of solid propellants on their elemental composition and heat content

The influence of the enthalpy of formation of the total composition and the elemental formulation of propellants based on the C, H, N, and O elements on combustion temperature and specific impulse is studied in order to find ways to create compositions with a combustion temperature not higher than the permissible one but with the highest specific impulse. Quantitative dependences relating the above parameters are derived. It is shown that there is a certain corridor in the region of existence of compositions satisfying the specified requirements for the combustion temperature and specific impulse. The data obtained make it possible to determine the possibility of creating formulations with maximum specific impulse.

Some anomalies in the dependence of the specific pulse of rocket propellants on the aluminum content

An explanation of the previously unnoticed phenomenon that the gradual introduction of aluminum into a rocket propellant composed of the C, H, N, O, and F atoms is accompanied first by a decrease in the specific impulse and then by its growth.

Energy capabilities of composites solid propellant upon replacement of trinitromethyl groups in the oxidizer by fluorodinitromethyl groups

The energy capabilities of solid composite propellants in which the trinitromethyl groups of the oxidizer are replaced by fluorodinitromethyl groups are examined. This replacement is shown to lead to a significant decrease in the enthalpy of formation and, consequently, the specific impulse, but at the same time slightly reduces the sensitivity and substantially increases the thermal stability. The use of such oxidizers can be useful for creating formulations with increased requirements for thermal stability.

Dependence of the burning temperature of high-energy compounds (empirical formula CmO2mNn) on the enthalpy of formation and ratio m/n

The work is dedicated to finding new compounds of empirical formula CmO2mNn, which can be used as a basis for ecologically clean smokeless powders for automobile airbags inflators.

Control over phase transformations in the crystal lattice of ammonium nitrate by modification of the system of intermolecular interactions via addition of organic substances

Methods for phase stabilization of ammonium nitrate were sought for to substantially extend the application fields of this oxidizing agent in self-combustible formulations for various purposes, including the new generation of gas-generating formulations for automobile safety bags. The phase state of ammonium nitrate alloys with minor additions of organic substances with crystallographic parameters close to those of ammonium nitrate was studied.

Zirconium combustion efficiency in energetic compositions

The combustion solid-fuel samples containing zirconium or zirconium hydride, octogen (HMX), and an active binding agent was studied. On varying the particle size of zirconium, it was found that the rate of combustion of a composition at a pressure of 40 atm essentially depended on the particle size of zirconium: the rate of combustion increased by a factor of almost 2 on going from zirconium powders with a size of 30–70 μm to the powders with particle sizes smaller than 30 μm. A procedure for the determination of the combustion efficiency of zirconium by the afterburning of a condensed combustion product was proposed.

Thermodynamic Analysis of Combustible Formulations Forming Gaseous Metals in Combustion Products

A thermodynamic analysis of the burning temperatures and products formed in combustion of formulations containing zinc or lead was made in relation to the elemental composition and total enthalpy of formation of the starting mixture in order to develop programs searching in the existing database for such formulations whose combustion will produce a prescribed fraction of a metal in gaseous state.