An Exploratory Investigation of the Influence of Igniter Chemistry on Ignition in Porous Bed Gun Propellants

In order to quantitize the ignition effectiveness of an igniter material, it is desirable to establish both the total energy deposition and the rate of energy deposition required to produce a sustained ignition in a live propellant bed. The primary objective of the current project was to use the igniter system developed under the initial phase of the contract and conduct a series of diagnostic experiments to investigate the ignitibility of NACO propellants when subjected to different ignition stimuli as represented by BP, BKNO3, and NC igniter materials. During the current contract 61 tests were conducted, including igniter calibration with IMR 4895 to document baseline NC igniter performance primer penetration tests with live NACO to insure that the primer input into the propellant bed would not lead to NACO ignition in the absence of igniter material igniter penetration tests with inert simulant and NACO propellant to determine the igniter effectiveness for a fixed energy content as a function of zone thickness for an inert simulant positioned between the igniter vent and the NACO propellant and igniter effectiveness tests with inert simulant and NACO propellant to determine the igniter effectiveness as a function of igniter energy level for a fixed zone thickness of inert simulant positioned between the igniter vent and the NACO propellant.