Issue |
Volume 1, 2009
Progress in Propulsion Physics
|
|
---|---|---|
Page(s) | 63 - 80 | |
Section | Solid Rocket Propulsion | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/eucass/200901063 | |
Published online | 16 September 2011 |
The ways for development of environmentally safe solid composite propellants
The paper considers a wide set of issues concerning the creation of high energetic solid composite propellants causing the minimal polluting effect on the environment. Thereby, the level of toxicity of products of different compositions is discussed and propellants with perchlorates oxidizers are compared with propellants with halogen free oxidizers (mainly, ammonium dinitramide, HMX, CL-20). The main methods for creating compositions having a required performance and the highest energetic characteristics are also under discussion. The dependences of the specific impulse on the mode of formulation arrangement and on the compounds' properties (i.e., formation enthalpy, density, element content) are demonstrated. The main principles for the maximal use of energetic potential of chemical substances are under consideration. These are the proper selection of the binder type which would be optimal for the given mixture of oxidizer with fuel (or energetic) component and the opportunity of using metals and their hydrides (mainly, aluminum hydride (AH)). Main obstacles in using different kinds of compositions, as well as advantages of specific propellants are under consideration as well. A special attention is paid to the interrelationship between the energetic parameter and other performances (thermal stability, combustion law, sensitivity, and compatibility).
© Owned by the authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2009