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Aluminum particle agglomeration mechanism and microscopic combustion characteristics of NEPE propellants

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Abstract

Since solid propellants can significantly increase the mobility, load, and range of missile weapons and equipment when used as a power source, energy performance is always the primary focus of solid propulsion technology development. This paper investigated differences in the agglomeration of aluminum (Al) and characteristics of the burning surface of nitrate ester plasticized polyether (NEPE) propellants and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) propellants. The experiments were conducted under a 0.1 MPa argon gas atmosphere using a high-speed camera combined with a telephoto microscope head (macro lens). In comparison with HTPB propellants, it was discovered that the agglomeration process of Al particle of NEPE propellants had two modes. Al aggregates exit the burning surface after growing into nearly spherical agglomerates in Mode A, which is comparable to HTPB propellants. Unique to NEPE propellants, Mode B is where the Al particles aggregate into massive coral-like structures. Three factors could account for this discrepancy. First, since NEPE propellants include less ammonium perchlorate (AP), the AP is less likely to form a pocket structure. It keeps the Al particles in a large "pocket" resembling the burning surface and provides advantages for their ability to aggregate. Second, NEPE propellants have a thicker molten layer on the burning surface. It has a capillary force impact on the Al particles on the burning surface and promotes interaction between Al particles. Finally, NEPE propellants create a clear skeleton layer on the burning surface that helps Al particles stay on the burning surface. A microscopic multi-flame combustion model was created to describe the makeup of the flame of NEPE propellants. It includes the AP unit flame, the CL-20-AP flame, the Al combustion flame, and the diffusion flame of the products of decomposition of each component. In this study, the existence of molten layer and skeleton layer on the burning surface of NEPE propellants was observed for the first time in experiments. It contributes to the understanding of the unique agglomeration behavior of aluminum particles of NEPE propellants and provides theoretical guidance for the directional regulation of aluminum particle agglomeration characteristics.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51876197) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Provincial Universities of Zhejiang.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, People’s Republic of China

    Hui Liu, Xueqin Liao, Zhihao Sun & Jianzhong Liu

  2. Beijing System Design Institute of Electro-Mechanic Engineering, Beijing, 100854, People’s Republic of China

    Jifei Yuan

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  1. Hui Liu
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Liu, H., Yuan, J., Liao, X. et al. Aluminum particle agglomeration mechanism and microscopic combustion characteristics of NEPE propellants. J Therm Anal Calorim (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-024-13137-0

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