Accession Number:

ADD014087

Title:

Method to Dimilitarize, Extract, and Recover Ammonium Perchlorate from Composite Propellants Using Liquid Ammonia.

Descriptive Note:

Patent Application, Filed 31 Jan 89,

Corporate Author:

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY WASHINGTON DC

Personal Author(s):

• Melvin, William S.
• Graham, James F.

Report Date:

1989-01-31

Pagination or Media Count:

20.0

Abstract:

Liquid ammonia is maintained at the required operating conditions to efficiently and rapidly achieve propellant demilitarization including recovery of ammonia perchlorate AP for reuse, by an environmentally safe method to comminute and remove propellant from existing rocket motor hardware. The method is also applicable to both solid and ground composite propellant which includes scrap or waste propellant. A disclosed demilitarization unit employed in the ammonium perchlorate recovery method is comprised of a supply and high pressure spray system for liquid ammonia, an extraction system, oxidizer recovery system, and an ammonia recovery, drying, and recycling system. The method is workable at ambient temperature since ammonia is liquified under its own vapor pressure at 114 psig however, increased temperature further enhances the extraction efficiency of the system. Solubilized ammonium perchlorate is separated after a phase change takes place through a liquid-gas expansion nozzle which provides a direct method to automatically precipitate and chemically grind so to speak, the solid oxidizer AP particles to a predetermined, uniform size and configuration in accordance with established, solute purification techniques based on various temperature, pressure, and liquid nozzle spray conditions for particle size control when precipitated from a solvent. This method results in the rapid fall out of AP from liquid ammonia during the phase change or gasification stage since AP is insoluble in gaseous ammonia. Keywords Patent applications. aw

Descriptors:

• *AMMONIUM PERCHLORATE
• *COMPOSITE PROPELLANTS
• *DEMILITARIZATION
• *PATENT APPLICATIONS
• *SOLID ROCKET PROPELLANTS
• AMMONIA
• CONTROL
• DRYING
• EFFICIENCY
• ENERGY CONVERSION
• ENVIRONMENTS
• EXTRACTION
• GASES
• HIGH PRESSURE
• LIQUID AMMONIA
• LIQUIDS
• NOZZLES
• OXIDIZERS
• PARTICLE SIZE
• PARTICLES
• PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
• PURIFICATION
• RECOVERY
• RECYCLED MATERIALS
• ROCKET COMPONENTS
• ROCKET ENGINES
• SAFETY
• SOLIDS
• SOLUTES
• SPRAYS
• TEMPERATURE
• WASTES

Subject Categories:

• Solid Rocket Propellants

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE