A model for steady-state HNF combustion

A simple model for the combustion of solid monopropellants is presented. The condensed phase is treated by high activation energy asymptotics. The gas phase is treated by two limit cases: high activation energy, and low activation energy. This results in simplification of the gas phase energy equation, making an (approximate) analytical solution possible. The results of the model are compared with experimental results of Hydrazinium Nitroformate (HNF) combustion

Ignition dynamics of high explosives

The laser ignition of the explosives HMX (octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine, C{sub 4}H{sub 8}N{sub 8}O{sub 8}), {delta}-phase HMX, PBX 9501 (95% HMX, 2.5% Estane, 2.5% BDNPA/BDNPF), TATB (1,3,5-triamino-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene, C{sub 6}H{sub 6}N{sub 6}O{sub 6}), and PBX 9502 (95% TATB, 5% Kel-F) and aged PBX 9502 has been conducted with the intent to compare the relative sensitivities of those explosives and to investigate the effect of beam profile, binder addition, and porosity. It has been found that there was little difference between a gaussian beam and a top hat profile on the laser ignition of HMX. The authors observe that the addition of binder in the amounts present in PBX 9501 resulted in longer ignition delays than that of HMX. In contrast to HMX, the addition of binder to TATB in PBX 9502 shows no measurable effect. Porosity effects were considered by comparing the ignition of granular HMX and pressed HMX pellets. Porosity appears to increase ignition delay due to an increased effective absorption scale and increased convective heat loss. This porosity effect also resulted in longer ignition delays for {delta}-phase HMX than for {beta}-phase HMX. In order to simulate ignition in voids or cracks, the standard ignition experiment was modified to include a NaCl window placed at variable distances above the sample surface. When ignition experiments were performed at 29 W/cm{sup 2} and 38 W/cm{sup 2} a critical gap distance was observed of 6 {+-} 0.4 mm below which ignition was severely inhibited. This result underscores the importance of gas phase processes in ignition and illustrates that conditions can exist where simple ignition criteria such as surface temperature is inadequate