Small scaled reactive materials combustion test facility

Energetic Metals;Combustion;Ballistics;Reactive Materials

Chonowski, David P. ; Glumac ; Nick G.

关键词: Energetic Metals;    Combustion;    Ballistics;    Reactive Materials;   

Others  :  https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/18569/Chonowski_David.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y

美国|英语

来源: The Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship

【 摘 要 】

Combustion of reactive materials forms an active area of research for reactive fragment and structural materials applications. Currently, reactive fragment tests involve high velocity (1-2 km/s),large caliber projectiles directed into blast chambers where overpressure is measured to quantify output.Unfortunately, these existing facilities suffer many issues including high cost per test, which limits theability to perform true parametric studies, as well as limited access in some cases for diagnostics otherthan transient pressure. To address these issues, we developed a small-scale reactive materialscombustion test facility based on the Remington .17 caliber rifle which safely launches projectiles atvelocities approaching 1.3 km/s. By making custom projectiles and firing these into a small chamberwith complete optical access, we are able to obtain transient pressure and capture high-speed imagery.The setup also allows for optical measurements including pyrometry and spectroscopy. In this work thediagnostic measurements are primarily the bullet velocity and chamber overpressure.After completion of the design and installation of the laser optical chronograph and theappropriate pressure transducers, several tests at velocities of 1.2 km/s were performed comparing inertbullets with those comprised of reactive metals in air, 100% nitrogen, and 40% oxygen rich environments.Therefore this paper outlines the major components of the combustion test facility, the system diagnosticsand the effect that different intermetallics in various environments have on combustion performance.Results indicate that the facility performed as intended by capturing quantitative differences in thechemical energy release of various energetic systems. Further, through the post-processing of specimenresidue with X-ray diffraction, the identification of reaction products provided better insight into thechemical reactions contributing to the observed energy release assisting in the determination of elementsresponsible for combustion performance.