Propellant single-base cannon

NC(13.15% N) 87, DNT 10 DBuPh 3%. At about the same time, the proplnt called FNH (Flashless-Nonhygroscopic) was developed. Its compn was NC(12.6% N) 74, NC(13.25% N ), 20, DNT 5 DPhA 1%. Designations NH and FNH are not used any more, being replaced by letters M or T followed by numbers 1,2,3 etc(See Tables V,VI VII). M means a proplnt adopted for service and T, one in the experimental stage Current US Single-Base Cannon Propellants. In Table V there are listed only three proplnts (MIAI, M3D M31) which are based on "Pyrocellulose (NC with 12.6%N), because the majority of proplnts are now based on "Blend (NC 13.15-13.25%N), which is prepd by mixing "Pyro (12.6%N) with Guncotton (13.4-13.45%N). The 1st component is sol in 2 l-eth-alc, while the 2nd is not. Cannon proplnts Ml, M6, Ml4 and recoilless gun proplnt M10 are based on NC with 13.25%N and so are small arms proplnts IMR (Improved Military Rifle) and M12 (listed here for comparison with cannon proplnts)... 

One of the older US mortar proplnts contained vaseline(petroleum jelly) which presumably acted as a stabilizer and flash-reducer. The compn of this proplnt was NC(13.15%N) 54, NG 43 vaseline 3%, with 0.5% DPhA added(US Spec 50-12-4A). Another older US cannon, proplnt contained TNT and hydrocellulose. Its compn was NC(12.6%N) 49, NG 20, TNT 20 hydrocellulose 10%. Here TNT was added for the same purpose as DNT(See under Single-Base Cannon Propellants). Hydrocellulose was used as flash-reducer. Its "cooling effect is due to development of large amts of gaseous products,... 

Properties of Double-Base Cannon Propellants. Double-base NC-NG proplnts are considered "hot proplnts, because their heats of expl and flame temps are much higher than those of single-base proplnts (See Tables V, VI VII). This means that... 

Solvent Powder. See under Single-Base and Double-Base Cannon Propellants in Vol 2, C31-R to C33-R, and Production Methods of Representative Propellants in Vol 8, P420-L... 

Continuous Solvent—Extrusion Process. A schematic for a typical continuous process, widely used for making solvent propellant for cannons, is shown in Figure 7. This continuous process produces ca 1100 metric tons of single-base propellant per month at the U.S. Army Ammunition Plant (Radford, Virginia). Continuous processes have also been developed for double- and triple-base propellants and for stick as well as granular geometries. A principal aspect of these processes has been the extensive use of single- and double-screw extmders instead of the presses used in the batch process. 

Single Base Propellant. See under Propellants and in Ref 44, p C31-R under CANNON PROPELLANTS... 

Smokeless Propellant. Term used to distinguish the relatively smokeless single-base, double-base and triple-base propellants from BkPdr which produces heavy smoke (Ref 40a, p 133) (See also CANNON PROPELLANTS in Ref 44, p C29-R)... 

Accdg to compositions, cannon smokeless proplnts may be subdivided into single-base-, double-base- and triple-base-proplnts. The last two proplnts are sometimes called "compound proplnts. The so-called "composite proplnts, used in JATOS and rockets, are described under Composite Propellants... 

Heat Test minimum 30 mins Vapor Pressure at 60° O.OmmHg Volatility at 60° 0.0% and Water Produced on Explosion 140g/kg of NC Uses. Pyrocellulose has been used since the Spanish-American War(1898) in cannon and small arms proplnts. Historical development of "PyrpP proplnts is described under Cannon Propellants(qv). The original US single-base proplnts consisted of Pyrocellulose colloided with ether-ale, but beginning ca 1909, there was added 0.5% DPhA to act as a stabilizer and this amt was later incteased to 1%. This period also saw the introduction of the water-dry process which permitted manuf of proplnts in a fraction of the time reqd for the "air-dry process (Ref 44)... 

Uses. Blended NC is used in the manuf of single-base and double-base proplnts. Requirements of the US Armed Forces for NC s used in manufg proplnts are given in Specification MIL-N-244A(See also Cannon Propellant)... 

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