Propellants and Explosives E-Book

Naminosuke Kubota

• Herausgeber: Wiley-VCH
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 770

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Beschreibung

Propellants and Explosives

Explosives and propellants are termed energetic materials for containing considerable chemical energy which can be converted into rapid expansion. In contrast to simple burning of a fuel, explosives and propellants are self-contained and do not need external supply of oxygen via air. Since their energy content thus inherently creates the risk of accidental triggering of the explosive reaction, proper synthesis, formulation, and handling during production and use are of utmost importance for safety and necessitate specialist knowledge on energetic materials, their characteristics, handling, and applications.

Now in its third edition, the classic on the thermochemical aspects of the combustion of propellants and explosives is completely revised and updated and includes green propellants as new topic. The combustion processes of typical energetic crystalline and polymeric materials and various types of propellants and pyrolants are presented to provide an informative, generalized approach for the understanding of the combustion mechanisms of those materials. The first half of the book represents an introductory text on pyrodynamics, describing fundamental aspects of the combustion of energetic materials. The second half highlights applications of energetic materials as propellants, explosives and pyrolants with focus on phenomena occurring in rocket motors. In addition, the appendix gives a brief overview of the fundamentals of aerodynamics and heat transfer, which is a prerequisite for the study of pyrodynamics.

A detailed reference for readers interested in rocketry or explosives technology.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Cover

Title Page

Related Titles

Copyright

Preface

Preface to the Second Edition

Preface to the First Edition

Chapter 1: Foundations of Pyrodynamics

1.1 Heat and Pressure

1.2 Thermodynamics in a Flow Field

1.3 Formation of Propulsive Forces

1.4 Formation of Destructive Forces

References

Chapter 2: Thermochemistry of Combustion

2.1 Generation of Heat Energy

2.2 Adiabatic Flame Temperature

2.3 Chemical Reaction

2.4 Evaluation of Chemical Energy

References

Chapter 3: Combustion Wave Propagation

3.1 Combustion Reactions

3.2 Combustion Wave of a Premixed Gas

3.3 Structures of Combustion Waves

3.4 Ignition Reactions

3.5 Combustion Waves of Energetic Materials

References

Chapter 4: Energetics of Propellants and Explosives

4.1 Crystalline Materials

4.2 Polymeric Materials

4.3 Classification of Propellants and Explosives

4.4 Formulation of Propellants

4.5 Nitropolymer Propellants

4.6 Composite Propellants

4.7 Composite-Modified Double-Base Propellants

4.8 Black Powder

4.9 Formulation of Explosives

References

Chapter 5: Combustion of Crystalline and Polymeric Materials

5.1 Combustion of Crystalline Materials

5.2 Combustion of Polymeric Materials

References

Chapter 6: Combustion of Double-Base Propellants

6.1 Combustion of NC-NG Propellants

6.2 Combustion of NC-TMETN Propellants

6.3 Combustion of Nitro-Azide Propellants

6.4 Catalyzed Double-Base Propellants

References

Chapter 7: Combustion of Composite Propellants

7.1 AP Composite Propellants

7.2 Nitramine Composite Propellants

7.3 AP-Nitramine Composite Propellants

7.4 TAGN-GAP Composite Propellants

7.5 AN-Azide Polymer Composite Propellants

7.6 AP-GAP Composite Propellants

7.7 ADN, HNF, and HNIW Composite Propellants

References

Chapter 8: Combustion of CMDB Propellants

8.1 Characteristics of CMDB Propellants

8.2 AP-CMDB Propellants

8.3 Nitramine-CMDB Propellants

8.4 Plateau Burning of Catalyzed HMX-CMDB Propellants

References

Chapter 9: Combustion of Explosives

9.1 Detonation Characteristics

9.2 Density and Detonation Velocity

9.3 Critical Diameter

9.4 Applications of Detonation Phenomena

References

Chapter 10: Formation of Energetic Pyrolants

10.1 Differentiation of Propellants, Explosives, and Pyrolants

10.2 Energetics of Pyrolants

10.3 Energetics of Elements

10.4 Selection Criteria of Chemicals

10.5 Oxidizer Components

10.6 Fuel Components

10.7 Metal Azides

References

Chapter 11: Combustion Propagation of Pyrolants

11.1 Physicochemical Structures of Combustion Waves

11.2 Combustion of Metal Particles

11.3 Black Powder

11.4 Li–SF

6

Pyrolants

11.5 Zr Pyrolants

11.6 Mg-Tf Pyrolants

11.7 B - KNO

3

Pyrolants

11.8 Ti - KNO

3

and Zr - KNO

3

Pyrolants

11.9 Metal-GAP Pyrolants

11.10 Ti-C Pyrolants

11.11 NaN

3

Pyrolants

11.12 GAP-AN Pyrolants

11.13 Nitramine Pyrolants

11.14 B-AP Pyrolants

11.15 Friction Sensitivity of Pyrolants

References

Chapter 12: Emission from Combustion Products

12.1 Fundamentals of Light Emission

12.2 Light Emission from Flames

12.3 Smoke Emission

12.4 Smokeless Pyrolants

12.5 Smoke Characteristics of Pyrolants

12.6 Smoke and Flame Characteristics of Rocket Motors

12.7 HCl Reduction from AP Propellants

12.8 Reduction of Infrared Emission from Combustion Products

12.9 Green Propellants

References

Chapter 13: Transient Combustion of Propellants and Pyrolants

13.1 Ignition Transient

13.2 Ignition for Combustion

13.3 Erosive Burning Phenomena

13.4 Combustion Instability

13.5 Combustion under Acceleration

13.6 Wired Propellant Burning

References

Chapter 14: Rocket Thrust Modulation

14.1 Combustion Phenomena in a Rocket Motor

14.2 Dual-Thrust Motor

14.3 Pulse Rocket Motor

14.4 Erosive Burning in a Rocket Motor

14.5 Nozzleless Rocket Motor

14.6 Gas-Hybrid Rockets

References

Chapter 15: Ducted Rocket Propulsion

15.1 Fundamentals of Ducted Rocket Propulsion

15.2 Design Parameters of Ducted Rockets

15.3 Performance Analysis of Ducted Rockets

15.4 Principle of the Variable Fuel-Flow Ducted Rocket

15.5 Energetics of Gas-Generating Pyrolants

15.6 Combustion Tests for Ducted Rockets

References

Appendix A: List of Abbreviations of Energetic Materials

Appendix B: Mass and Heat Transfer in a Combustion Wave

B.1 Conservation Equations at a Steady State in a One-Dimensional Flow Field

B.2 Generalized Conservation Equations at a Steady State in a Flow Field

Appendix C: Shock Wave Propagation in a Two-Dimensional Flow Field

C.1 Oblique Shock Wave

C.2 Expansion Wave

C.3 Diamond Shock Wave

References

Appendix D: Supersonic Air Intake

D.1 Compression Characteristics of Diffusers

D.2 Air Intake System

References

Appendix E: Measurements of Burning Rate and Combustion Wave Structure

Index

End User License Agreement

Pages

xix

xx

xxi

xxii

xxiii

xiv

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

71

73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

107

108

109

110

111

112

113

114

115

116

117

119

120

121

122

123

124

125

126

127

128

129

130

131

132

133

134

135

136

137

138

139

140

141

142

143

144

145

146

147

148

149

150

151

152

153

154

155

156

157

158

159

160

161

162

163

164

165

166

167

168

169

170

171

172

173

174

175

176

177

178

179

180

181

182

183

184

185

186

187

188

189

190

191

192

193

194

195

196

197

198

199

200

201

202

203

204

205

206

207

208

209

210

211

212

213

214

215

216

217

218

219

220

221

222

223

224

225

226

227

228

229

230

231

232

233

234

235

236

237

238

239

240

241

242

243

244

245

246

247

248

249

250

251

252

253

254

255

256

257

258

259

260

261

262

263

264

265

266

267

268

269

270

271

272

273

274

275

277

278

279

280

281

282

283

284

285

286

287

288

289

290

291

292

293

294

295

296

297

298

299

300

301

302

303

304

305

306

307

308

309

310

311

312

313

314

315

316

317

318

319

321

322

323

324

325

326

327

328

329

330

331

332

333

334

335

336

337

338

339

340

341

342

343

344

345

346

347

348

349

350

351

352

353

354

355

356

357

358

359

360

361

362

363

364

365

366

367

368

369

370

371

372

373

374

375

376

377

378

379

380

381

382

383

384

385

386

387

388

389

390

391

392

393

394

395

396

397

398

399

400

401

402

403

404

405

406

407

408

409

410

411

412

413

414

415

416

417

418

419

420

421

422

423

424

425

426

427

428

429

430

431

432

433

435

436

437

438

439

440

441

442

443

444

445

446

447

448

449

450

451

452

453

454

455

456

457

458

459

460

461

462

463

464

465

466

467

468

469

471

472

473

474

475

476

477

478

479

480

481

482

483

484

485

486

487

488

489

490

491

492

493

494

495

496

497

498

499

500

501

503

504

505

506

507

508

509

510

511

512

513

514

515

517

518

519

520

521

522

523

524

525

526

527

528

529

530

531

532

533

534

Guide

Cover

Table of Contents

Preface

Begin Reading

List of Illustrations

Figure 1.1

Figure 1.2

Figure 1.3

Figure 1.4

Figure 2.1

Figure 3.1

Figure 3.2

Figure 3.3

Figure 3.4

Figure 3.5

Figure 3.6

Figure 3.7

Figure 3.8

Figure 3.9

Figure 3.10

Figure 3.11

Figure 3.12

Figure 3.13

Figure 3.14

Figure 3.15

Figure 4.1

Figure 4.2

Figure 4.3

Figure 4.4

Figure 4.5

Figure 4.6

Figure 4.7

Figure 4.8

Figure 4.9

Figure 4.10

Figure 4.11

Figure 4.12

Figure 4.13

Figure 4.14

Figure 4.15

Figure 4.16

Figure 4.17

Figure 4.18

Figure 4.19

Figure 4.20

Figure 4.21

Figure 4.22

Figure 4.23

Figure 4.24

Figure 4.25

Figure 4.26

Figure 5.1

Figure 5.2

Figure 5.3

Figure 5.4

Figure 5.5

Figure 5.6

Figure 5.7

Figure 5.8

Figure 5.9

Figure 5.10

Figure 5.11

Figure 5.12

Figure 5.13

Figure 5.14

Figure 5.15

Figure 5.16

Figure 5.17

Figure 5.18

Figure 5.19

Figure 5.20

Figure 5.21

Figure 5.22

Figure 5.23

Figure 5.24

Figure 5.25

Figure 6.1

Figure 6.2

Figure 6.3

Figure 6.4

Figure 6.5

Figure 6.6

Figure 6.7

Figure 6.8

Figure 6.9

Figure 6.10

Figure 6.11

Figure 6.12

Figure 6.13

Figure 6.14

Figure 6.15

Figure 6.16

Figure 6.17

Figure 6.18

Figure 6.19

Figure 6.20

Figure 6.21

Figure 6.22

Figure 6.23

Figure 6.24

Figure 6.25

Figure 6.26

Figure 6.27

Figure 6.28

Figure 6.29

Figure 6.30

Figure 6.31

Figure 6.32

Figure 6.33

Figure 6.34

Figure 6.35

Figure 7.1

Figure 7.2

Figure 7.3

Figure 7.4

Figure 7.5

Figure 7.6

Figure 7.7

Figure 7.8

Figure 7.9

Figure 7.10

Figure 7.11

Figure 7.12

Figure 7.13

Figure 7.14

Figure 7.15

Figure 7.16

Figure 7.17

Figure 7.18

Figure 7.19

Figure 7.20

Figure 7.21

Figure 7.22

Figure 7.23

Figure 7.24

Figure 7.25

Figure 7.26

Figure 7.27

Figure 7.28

Figure 7.29

Figure 7.30

Figure 7.31

Figure 7.32

Figure 7.33

Figure 7.34

Figure 7.35

Figure 7.36

Figure 7.37

Figure 7.38

Figure 7.39

Figure 7.40

Figure 7.41

Figure 7.42

Figure 7.43

Figure 7.44

Figure 7.45

Figure 7.46

Figure 7.47

Figure 7.48

Figure 7.49

Figure 7.50

Figure 7.51

Figure 7.54

Figure 7.52

Figure 7.53

Figure 7.55

Figure 7.56

Figure 7.57

Figure 7.58

Figure 7.59

Figure 7.60

Figure 7.61

Figure 7.62

Figure 7.63

Figure 7.64

Figure 7.65

Figure 7.66

Figure 8.1

Figure 8.2

Figure 8.3

Figure 8.4

Figure 8.5

Figure 8.6

Figure 8.7

Figure 8.8

Figure 8.9

Figure 8.10

Figure 8.11

Figure 8.12

Figure 8.13

Figure 8.14

Figure 8.15

Figure 8.16

Figure 8.17

Figure 8.18

Figure 8.19

Figure 8.20

Figure 8.21

Figure 8.22

Figure 8.23

Figure 8.24

Figure 9.1

Figure 9.2

Figure 9.3

Figure 9.4

Figure 9.5

Figure 9.6

Figure 9.7

Figure 10.1

Figure 10.2

Figure 10.3

Figure 11.1

Figure 11.2

Figure 11.3

Figure 11.4

Figure 11.5

Figure 11.6

Figure 11.7

Figure 11.8

Figure 11.9

Figure 11.10

Figure 11.11

Figure 11.12

Figure 11.13

Figure 11.14

Figure 11.15

Figure 11.16

Figure 11.17

Figure 11.18

Figure 11.19

Figure 11.20

Figure 11.21

Figure 12.1

Figure 12.2

Figure 12.3

Figure 12.4

Figure 12.5

Figure 12.6

Figure 12.7

Figure 12.8

Figure 12.9

Figure 12.10

Figure 12.11

Figure 12.12

Figure 12.13

Figure 12.14

Figure 12.15

Figure 12.16

Figure 12.17

Figure 12.18

Figure 12.19

Figure 12.20

Figure 12.21

Figure 12.22

Figure 12.23

Figure 12.24

Figure 12.25

Figure 13.1

Figure 13.2

Figure 13.3

Figure 13.4

Figure 13.5

Figure 13.6

Figure 13.7

Figure 13.8

Figure 13.9

Figure 13.10

Figure 13.11

Figure 13.12

Figure 13.13

Figure 13.14

Figure 13.15

Figure 13.16

Figure 13.17

Figure 13.18

Figure 13.19

Figure 13.20

Figure 13.21

Figure 13.22

Figure 13.23

Figure 13.24

Figure 13.25

Figure 13.26

Figure 13.27

Figure 13.28

Figure 13.29

Figure 13.30

Figure 13.31

Figure 13.32

Figure 13.33

Figure 13.34

Figure 14.1

Figure 14.2

Figure 14.3

Figure 14.4

Figure 14.5

Figure 14.6

Figure 14.7

Figure 14.8

Figure 14.9

Figure 14.10

Figure 14.11

Figure 14.12

Figure 14.13

Figure 14.14

Figure 14.15

Figure 14.16

Figure 14.17

Figure 14.18

Figure 14.19

Figure 14.20

Figure 14.21

Figure 14.22

Figure 14.23

Figure 14.24

Figure 14.25

Figure 14.26

Figure 14.27

Figure 14.28

Figure 15.1

Figure 15.2

Figure 15.3

Figure 15.4

Figure 15.5

Figure 15.6

Figure 15.7

Figure 15.8

Figure 15.9

Figure 15.10

Figure 15.11

Figure 15.12

Figure 15.13

Figure 15.14

Figure 15.15

Figure 15.16

Figure 15.17

Figure 15.18

Figure 15.19

Figure 15.20

Figure 15.21

Figure 15.22

Figure 15.23

Figure B.1

Figure C.1

Figure C.2

Figure C.3

Figure C.4

Figure C.5

Figure C.6

Figure D.1

Figure D.2

Figure D.3

Figure D.4

Figure D.5

Figure D.6

Figure D.7

Figure E.1

List of Tables

Table 1.1

Table 2.1

Table 2.2

Table 2.3

Table 2.4

Table 2.5

Table 2.6

Table 2.7

Table 3.1

Table 3.2

Table 4.1

Table 4.2

Table 4.3

Table 4.4

Table 4.5

Table 4.6

Table 4.7

Table 4.8

Table 4.9

Table 4.10

Table 4.11

Table 4.12

Table 4.13

Table 4.14

Table 4.15

Table 4.16

Table 6.1

Table 6.2

Table 6.3

Table 6.4

Table 6.5

Table 6.6

Table 6.7

Table 6.8

Table 6.9

Table 6.10

Table 6.11

Table 6.12

Table 6.13

Table 7.1

Table 7.2

Table 7.3

Table 7.4

Table 7.5

Table 7.6

Table 7.7

Table 7.8

Table 8.1

Table 9.1

Table 9.2

Table 9.3

Table 9.4

Table 9.5

Table 9.6

Table 9.7

Table 10.1

Table 10.2

Table 10.3

Table 10.4

Table 10.5

Table 10.6

Table 10.7

Table 11.1

Table 11.2

Table 11.3

Table 11.4

Table 11.5

Table 11.6

Table 11.7

Table 12.1

Table 12.2

Table 12.3

Table 12.4

Table 12.5

Table 12.6

Table 12.7

Table 12.8

Table 13.1

Table 13.2

Table 14.1

Table 14.2

Table 14.3

Table 14.4

Table 14.8

Table 15.1

Table 15.2

Table 15.3

Table 15.4

Table 15.5

Naminosuke Kubota

Propellants and Explosives

Thermochemical Aspects of Combustion

Third, Revised and Updated Edition

Related Titles

Meyer, R., Köhler, J., Homburg, A.

Explosives

Seventh Edition

2015

Print ISBN: 978-3-527-33776-7; also available in electronic formats

Gromov, A.A., Teipel, U. (eds.)

Metal Nanopowders

Production, Characterization, and Energetic Applications

2014

Print ISBN: 978-3-527-33361-5; also available in electronic formats

Mahadevan, E.G.

Ammonium Nitrate Explosives for Civil Applications

Slurries, Emulsions and Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oils

2013

Print ISBN: 978-3-527-33028-7; also available in electronic formats

Koch, E.

Metal-Fluorocarbon Based Energetic Materials

2012

Print ISBN: 978-3-527-32920-5; also available in electronic formats

Ang, H.G., Pisharath, S.

Energetic Polymers

Binders and Plasticizers for Enhancing Performance

2012

Print ISBN: 978-3-527-33155-0; also available in electronic formats

Sutton, G.P., Biblarz, O.

Rocket Propulsion Elements, Eighth Edition

Eighth Edition

2010

Print ISBN: 978-0-470-08024-5; also available in electronic formats

Agrawal, J.P.

High Energy Materials

Propellants, Explosives and Pyrotechnics

2010

Print ISBN: 978-3-527-32610-5; also available in electronic formats

Hodgson, R.R., Hodgson, R.D., Agrawal, J.P.

Organic Chemistry of Explosives

2007

Print ISBN: 978-0-470-02967-1; also available in electronic formats

The Author

Prof. Dr. Naminosuke Kubota

Cover

We Thank Professor Kubota for providing us with the pictures for the cover illustration.

All books published by Wiley-VCH are carefully produced. Nevertheless, authors, editors, and publisher do not warrant the information contained in these books, including this book, to be free of errors. Readers are advised to keep in mind that statements, data, illustrations, procedural details or other items may inadvertently be inaccurate.

Library of Congress Card No.: applied for

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Bibliographic information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek

The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data are available on the Internet at <http://dnb.d-nb.de>.

© 2015 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Boschstr. 12, 69469 Weinheim, Germany

All rights reserved (including those of translation into other languages). No part of this book may be reproduced in any form – by photoprinting, microfilm, or any other means – nor transmitted or translated into a machine language without written permission from the publishers. Registered names, trademarks, etc. used in this book, even when not specifically marked as such, are not to be considered unprotected by law.

Print ISBN: 978-3-527-33178-9

ePDF ISBN: 978-3-527-69351-1

ePub ISBN: 978-3-527-69350-4

Mobi ISBN: 978-3-527-69349-8

oBook ISBN: 978-3-527-69348-1

Printing and Binding Markono Print Media Pte Ltd., Singapore

Printed on acid-free paper

Preface

This third edition, as its first and second editions, concentrates on presenting the fundamental bases of the combustion processes of propellants and explosives. Though the titles of each chapter of this edition remain the same as those of the second edition, new instructive description and experimental data related to the combustion phenomena are included. Furthermore, the third edition presents practical combustion data that are needed to gain more advanced scientific and technological knowledge related to propellants and explosives.

In Chapter 4, basic chemical processes of the formation of energetic materials are described in a textbook style. In Chapter 6, plateau burning phenomena occurring in nitropolymer combustion are discussed to construct a more realistic burning rate model. Smoke and flame characteristics of the exhaust from rocket nozzles are described in more detail in Chapter 6. At present, ammonium perchlorate (AP) composite propellants composed of crystalline AP particles and hydrocarbon polymers are most widely used in rocket propulsion because of their high chemical potential and physicochemical stability. However, a large amount of hydrogen chloride gas is formed when AP composite propellants burn. The exhaust smoke from a rocket nozzle reacts with humidity in the atmosphere and forms hydrochloric acid. This acid forms acid rain that is highly harmful to the environment. In Chapter 12, new propellants that produce clean combustion products, the so-called green propellants, are discussed. Green propellants are composed of various types of energetic materials without AP, and their physicochemical properties are acceptable for practical applications.

In Chapter 14, a design concept of pulse rocket motors is described. In order to extend a flight range of a rocket projectile within a limited propellant mass, a reduction in the aerodynamic drag acting on the flight projectile is required. A pulse rocket motor is consisted of two separate chambers, a booster chamber and a sustainer chamber, and one exhaust rocket nozzle. The ignition time interval between the booster phase and the sustainer phase is managed to gain optimum flight trajectory. Thanks are due to many my colleagues with whom I worked at the Third Research Center, Ministry of Defense. Many research engineers of Asahi Chemical Company, NOF Corporation, Daicel Co., and Nissan Motor Co. were very helpful to prepare the burning rate data of various types of propellants. Many valuable aerodynamic and combustion data were given from IHI Aerospace Co. during my work throughout the project of ducted rocket engines. During my stay at Princeton University, special thanks to Professor M. Summerfield, Dr. L. H. Caveny, and Dr. T. J. Ohlemiller for their valuable discussions and comments on the combustion mechanisms of platonized double-base propellants.

Naminosuke Kubota Yokohama, Japan December 2014

Preface to the Second Edition

The combustion phenomena of propellants and explosives are described on the basis of pyrodynamics, which concerns the thermochemical changes generating heat and reaction products. The high-temperature combustion products generated by propellants and explosives are converted into propulsive forces, destructive forces, and various types of mechanical forces. Similar to propellants and explosives, pyrolants are also energetic materials composed of oxidizer and fuel components. Pyrolants react to generate high-temperature condensed and/or gaseous products when they burn. Propellants are used for rockets and guns to generate propulsive forces through deflagration phenomena, and explosives are used for warheads, bombs, and mines to generate destructive forces through detonation phenomena. On the other hand, pyrolants are used for pyrotechnic systems such as ducted rockets, gas-hybrid rockets, and igniters and flares. This Second Edition includes the thermochemical processes of pyrolants in order to extend their application potential to propellants and explosives.

The burning characteristics of propellants, explosives, and pyrolants are largely dependent on various physicochemical parameters, such as the energetics, the mixture ratio of fuel and oxidizer components, the particle size of crystalline oxidizers, and the decomposition process of fuel components. Though metal particles are high-energy fuel components and important ingredients of pyrolants, their oxidation and combustion processes with oxidizers are complex and difficult to understand.

Similar to the First Edition, the first half of the Second Edition is an introductory text on pyrodynamics describing fundamental aspects of the combustion of energetic materials. The second half highlights applications of energetic materials as propellants, explosives, and pyrolants. In particular, transient combustion, oscillatory burning, ignition transients, and erosive burning phenomena occurring in rocket motors are presented and discussed. Ducted rockets represent a new propulsion system in which combustion performance is significantly increased by the use of pyrolants.

Heat and mass transfer through the boundary layer flow over the burning surface of propellants dominate the burning process for effective rocket motor operation. Shock wave formation at the inlet flow of ducted rockets is an important process for achieving high propulsion performance. Thus, a brief overview of the fundamentals of aerodynamics and heat transfer is provided in Appendixes B–D as a prerequisite for the study of pyrodynamics.

Naminosuke Kubota Tokyo, Japan September 2006

Preface to the First Edition

Propellants and explosives are composed of energetic materials that produce high temperature and pressure through combustion phenomena. These phenomena include complex physicochemical changes from solid to liquid and to gas, which accompany the rapid exothermic reactions. A number of books related to combustion have been published, such as an excellent theoretical book, Combustion Theory (2nd Ed.), by F. A. Williams, Benjamin/Cummings, New York (1985), and an instructive book for the graduate student, Combustion, by I. Glass-man, Academic Press, New York (1977). However, no instructive books related to the combustion of solid energetic materials have been published. Therefore, this book is intended as an introductory text on the combustion of energetic materials for the reader engaged in rocket science or in explosives technology.

This book is divided into four parts. The first part (Chapters 1–3) provides brief reviews of the fundamental aspects relevant to the conversion from chemical energy to aerothermal energy. References listed in each chapter should prove useful to the reader for better understanding the physical bases of the energy conversion process: energy formation, supersonic flow, shock wave, detonation, and deflagration. The second part (Chapter 4) deals with the energetics of chemical compounds used as propellants and explosives, such as the heat of formation, heat of explosion, adiabatic flame temperature, and specific impulse.

The third part (Chapters 5–8) deals with the results of measurements on the burning-rate behavior of various types of chemical compounds, propellants, and explosives. The combustion wave structures and the heat feedback processes from the gas phase to the condensed phase are also discussed to aid in the understanding of the relevant combustion mechanisms. The experimental and analytical data described in these chapters are mostly derived from results previously presented by the author. Descriptions of the detailed thermal decomposition mechanisms from the solid phase to the liquid phase or to the gas phase are not included in this book. The fourth part (Chapter 9) describes the combustion phenomena encountered during rocket motor operation, covering such topics as the stability criterion of the rocket motor, temperature sensitivity, ignition transients, erosive burning, and combustion oscillations. The fundamental principle of variable-flow ducted rockets is also presented. The combustion characteristics and energetics of the gas-generating propellants used in ducted rockets are discussed as well.

Since numerous kinds of energetic materials are used as propellants and explosives, it is not possible to present an entire overview of the combustion processes of these materials. In this book, the combustion processes of typical energetic crystalline and polymeric materials and of various types of propellants are presented so as to provide an informative, generalized approach to understanding their combustion mechanisms.

Naminosuke Kubota Kamakura, Japan March 2001