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INSENSITIVE GUN PROPELLANTS WITH LOW TEMPERATURE COEFFICIENT BASED ON DNDA
Dr. Dietmar Mueller
Fraunhofer Institut Chemische Technologie ( ICT ), D-76327 Pfinztal, Germany
43rd GUN & MISSILE SYSTEMS CONFERENCE
April 21-24, 2008
New Orleans, LA, U.S.A.
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INSENSITIVE GUN PROPELLANTS
Content
Processing TechnologyLow Temperature Coefficient (LTC) Propellants
● Temperature Behaviour● Characteristics of the Propellant Components ● Performance, Safety & Sensitivity Datas● Shaped Charge Tests ● Closed Bomb Tests● Gun Firing ● Erosivity
Results & Conclusion
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Processing Technology for Insensitive Gun Propellants based on DNDA
Continuous Process- Shear Roll Mill- Twin Screw Extruder (TSE) ZSK 58 E
Batch Process- Kneader / Mixer- Rampress
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INSENSITIVE GUN PROPELLANTS
Shear Roll Mill (Continuous Process)
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Corotating intermeshing Twin - Screw Extruder ZSK 58 E
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INSENSITIVE GUN PROPELLANTS
Dew atering
Solidloss-in-w eightFeeder
Solvent Pump System
Gear BoxHydraulic Drive
Die w ithDie Lif t -Off -System ( Safety – Device )
Cutter Conveyer ( sw ivel )
ConveyerConveyer
Strands Cutter
Remote Controlled Ref illing Equipment
T S E 58 E o o
o o
Con - veyer( w ide )
Twin - Screw Extruder Process
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4 0 0 0
-50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60propellant temperature (°C)
max
imum
gas
pre
ssur
e
LTC PropellantDNDA Propellant
Conventional Propellant
Pm
LTC PropellantDNDA Propellant
Temperature behaviour of gun propellantsMax. gas pressure vs propellant temperature
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NC M30 NC CP2 P10
NC 66
NC 53
0,01
0,1
1
10
120 125 130 135 140 145 150 155 160 165 170Temp. [°C]
Acce
lera
ting
Rat
e [°
C/M
in.]
ARC measurement of several Nitrocellulose (NC) types
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NC M30 NC CP2 NC 53
Lightmicroscope pictures of different NC types
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INSENSITIVE GUN PROPELLANTS
FOX 12
RDX
DNDA
0,01
0,1
1
10
100
120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260Temp. [°C]
Acce
lera
ting
Rat
e [°
C/m
in]
Accelerating Rate Results
ARC measurement of RDX, FOX-12 and DNDA
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DNDA
NENA
DNDA
0,01
0,1
1
10
100
120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260Temp. [°C]
Acc
eler
atin
g R
ate
[°C
/min
]..
Accelerating Rate Results
ARC DNDA-5,7 compared with NENA
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Heat - Development at 89°C
DNDA 120401WH
DNDA 120401WH Q
-13
-11
-9
-7
-5
-3
-1
1
0,0 0,5 1,0 1,5 2,0 2,5 3,0 3,5 4,0
Time(Days)
dQ/dt (µW/g)
-0,03
-0,02
-0,02
-0,01
-0,01
0,00Q (J/g)
Microcalorimeter Result of DNDA-5,7Endothermic Behaviour
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RDX / FOX-12 x x x x x x x
NC x x x x x x xDNDA-5,7 x x x x x x xStab., Additives x x x x x x x
T [K] 2540 2913 3118 3160 3264 3335 3390
Force [J/g] 1080 1182 1212 1229 1250 1263 1300
Qex [J/g] 4000 4204 4347 4411 4519 4594 4730
Mw [g/mole]Reaction gas
19,4 20,8 21,4 21,4 21,7 21,9 22,1
Performance Data of LTC Propellants
till max. 59 Wt. - %
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Mass - Loss weight after 18 days, 90 °C 0.50 till 0.70 %
Mass - Loss weight after 30 days (no autocatalytic effects) 1.10 till 1.40 %
Ignition temperature > 215 °C
Cook - off temperature approx. > 210 °C
Safety Data of selected LTC Propellants
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FOX - Prop.
ICT 8
FOX - Prop.
ICT 7
RDX - Prop.
ICT 1
i -RDX - Prop.
ICT 2
RDX - Prop.mod. DNDA
ICT 3Reaktion Class Shaped Charge Testcal. 35 mm
O
no Reaction
A A A B
Friction Sensitivity[N] 240 252 288 240 240
Impact Sensitivity[ Nm ] 6,0 7,5 6,0 6,0 5,0
Ignition Temperature[ °C ] ~ 200 ~ 200 ~ 220 ~ 216 ~ 219
1“ Detonationtube
MG cal.50 /12.7 mm
noDetonation
Sensitivity Data of different DNDA - Propellants
IM Reaktiontype 5 ( MIL – STD 2105B )
WIWEB Results
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Shaped Charge Tests, FOX Propellant ICT 8 and RDX Propellant ICT 1
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Longtherm - Storage Stability at 90 °CMass - Loss over Time
DNDA Propellant90°C
00,30,60,91,21,51,82,12,42,7
3
0 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30
Days [d]
ML [%]
MV-MittelML average
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DNDA Propellant90°C
0123456789
10
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Days [d]
ML [%]
ML average
Longtherm - Storage Stability at 90 °CMass - Loss over Time
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Single Base
CAB-LOVA
M30 DB
180707E 02/01
E 03/01
0,01
0,1
1
10
100
110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200 210
T [°C]
h [°C/min]
ARC Accelerating Rate Investigations of DNDA - Propellants compared with CAB-Lova, M30, Single Base and Double Base
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0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.00.00
0.25
0.50
0.75
1.00
1.25
1.50
1.75
Los 190705 - Temperaturbeschuß bei Δ=0.2g/ml in Vb=310 ml
343 K 336 K 323 K 294 K 233 K
Lebh
aftig
keit
[1/(M
Pa*s
)]
relativer Abbrand z
Los190705
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.00.00
0.25
0.50
0.75
1.00
1.25
1.50
1.75
Los 250199/W - Temperaturbeschuß bei Δ=0.2g/ml in Vb=310 ml
294 K 323 K
Lebh
aftig
keit
[1/(M
Pa*s
)]
relativer Abbrand z
Los 250199/W
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.00.00
0.25
0.50
0.75
1.00
1.25
1.50
1.75
Los 180705 - Temperaturbeschuß bei Δ=0.2g/ml in Vb=310 ml
343 K 336 K 323 K 294 K 233 K
Lebh
aftig
keit
[1/(M
Pa*s
)]
relativer Abbrand z
Los 180705
vivacity of the propellants
Batch Process Mixer compared with Shear Roll Mill
Low Friction High Friction
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Batch Process Mixer compared with Shear Roll Mill Process
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.00.00
0.25
0.50
0.75
1.00
1.25
1.50
1.75
Los 180705 - Temperaturbeschuß bei Δ=0.2g/ml in Vb=310 ml
343 K 336 K 323 K 294 K 233 K
Lebh
aftig
keit
[1/(M
Pa*s
)]
relativer Abbrand z0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
0.00
0.25
0.50
0.75
1.00
1.25
1.50
1.75
Los 190705 - Temperaturbeschuß bei Δ=0.2g/ml in Vb=310 ml
343 K 336 K 323 K 294 K 233 K
Lebh
aftig
keit
[1/(M
Pa*s
)]
relativer Abbrand z
Low Friction High Friction
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.00.00
0.25
0.50
0.75
1.00
1.25
1.50
1.75
Los 250199/W - Temperaturbeschuß bei Δ=0.2g/ml in Vb=310 ml
294 K 323 K
Lebh
aftig
keit
[1/(M
Pa*s
)]
relativer Abbrand z
Gaspressure in the GunLOS 180705
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
-50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Temp. [°C]
Pres
sure
[bar
]
-40 0 5020 70
Gaspressure in the GunLOS 190705
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
-50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Temp. [°C]
Pres
sure
[bar
]
-40 0 50 20 70
Gaspressure in the Gun LOS 250199
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
-50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Temp. [°C]
Pres
sure
[bar
]
-40 0 5020 70
Viva
city
[ M
Pa*s
]
Viva
city
[ M
Pa*s
]
Viva
city
[ M
Pa*s
]
p / pmp / pmp / pm
vivacity of the propellants
gas pressure of the propellants
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0
0,02
0,04
0,06
0,08
0,1
0,12
0,14
0,16
0,18
0,2
0,22
0,24
. -40°C 0°C 10°C 21°C 30°C 50°C
propellant temperature (°C)
linea
r bur
ning
rate
(m/s
)
3000 bar
2500 bar
2000 bar
1500 bar
Linear burning rate of LTC Propellants at different pressures
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2200
2600
3000
3400
3800
4200
15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55
Prop 2
Prop 1
Prop 3
max
imum
gas
pre
ssur
e (b
ar)
Propellant temperature (°C)
40 mm Gun Firing Tests of 3 LTC Propellants based on DNDA, NC, RDX
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75 mm Scale model gun derived from cal. 120 mm tank gun ( Diehl BGT )♦ based on interior ballistic similary laws♦ less cost ( combustible paper case, less propellant mass )
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Test Firing in 75 mm cal. Model Gun ( Diehl BGT )Optimized propellant for firing at 21°CGas pressure vs temp.
P m vs T
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000
5500
6000
Temp. [ °C ]
P m
[ ba
r ]
- 40 + 21 + 50
JA 2
LTC Prop
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Test Firing in 75 mm cal. Model Gun ( Diehl BGT )Optimized propellant for firing at 21°CMuzzle velocity vs temp.Muzzle velocity of LTC propellant same at 21°C like JA 2
V o vs T
1500
1550
1600
1650
1700
1750
Temp. [ °C ]
V o
[ m
/ s
]
JA 2
LTC Prop
- 40 + 21 + 50
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0
5
10
15
20
25
30
900 950 1000 1050 1100 1150 1200
Force (J/g)
mas
s lo
ss (%
)
double base
double base
triple base
triple base
single base
single base
single base
LTC 1
LTC 2LTC 3
LTC 4
LTC 5
Erosivity of LTC - Propellants and Conventional PropellantsResults from Diehl BGT
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♦ LTC Propellants based on DNDA 5,7 for a wide Caliber - Range
♦ Excellent Shaped Charge Testresults ( Reaktion Class 0 or A )
♦ High Ignition Temperature > 215 °C
♦ Insensitive, Reactiontype 5 (MIL - STD 2105 B) Shaped Charge TestMG cal. 12.7 mm firing on Steeltube with propellant
♦ Excellent Longtherm Stability
♦ Low Combustion Temperature at High Force
♦ Low Gun Tube Erosion
♦ Pilot Lot for Eurofighter - Gun, Mauser cal. 27 mm
Results & Conclusion