Spherical rocket propellant casting granules and method of preparation

Abstract

Abstract 1. A PROCESS FOR PREPARING SPHERICAL ROCKET PROPELLANT CASTING GRANULES WHICH COMPRISES ADMIXING A LACQUER OF NITROCELLULOSE IN A VOLATILE SOLVENT THEREFOR WITH AN AQUEOUS SLURRY OF FINELY DIVIDED PARTICLES OF A SENSITIVE SOLID WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY INSOLUBLE IN SAID VOLATILE SOLVENT, SAID SENSITIVE SOLID BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF A CRYSTALLINE HIGH EXPLOSIVE COMPOSITION, A METAL FUEL FOR SOLID PROPELLANTS, AND MIXTURES THEREOF, AGITATING THE RESULTING MIXTURE TO YIELD AN AQUEOUS SUSPENSION OF SPHWERICAL GLOBULES OF THE LACQUER HAVING SAID PARTICLES DISPERSED THEREIN, EVAPORATING A SUFFICIENT PROPORITION OF SAID VOLATILE SOLVENT TO EFFECT PARTIAL SOLIDIFICATION OF SAID GLOBULES, ADMIXING A DEWATERING AGENT, WITH THE RESULTING AQUEOUS SUSPENSION OF PARTIALLY SOLIDIFIED GLOBULES, EVAPORATING THE REMAINDER OF THE SOLVENT FROM THE GLOBULES, WHEREBY SOLID SPHERICAL GRANULES OF SAID PARTICLES FIRMLY EMBEDDED IN A MATRIX OF NITROCELLULOSE ARE FORMED FROM SAID PARTIALLY SOLIDIFIED GLOBULES, WASHING SAID GRANULES WITH WATER, AND DRYING SAID GRANULES. 18. A SOLID ROCKET PROPELLANT GRAIN COMPRISED OF SPHERICAL PROPELLANT CASTING GRANULES EMBEDDED IN A CURED THERMOSETTING BINDER, SAID SPHERICAL PROPELLANT CASTING GRANULES BEING COMPRISED OF FINELY DIVIDED PARTICLES OF A CRYSTALLINE HIGH EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND FIRMLY EMBEDDED IN A MATRIX OF NITROCELLULOSE, SAID CRYSTALLINE HIGH EXPLOSIVE COMPOUND BEING SUBSTANTIALLY INSOLUBLE IN A WATER IMMISCIBLE SOLVENT FOR NITROCELLULOSE.

Inventors

• 👤 Thomas F Mcdonnell
• 👤 Ralph E Coffee

Bibliographic Details