Triple base propellants

Sporting ammunition describes rifle and handgun ammunition for hunting and target practice. Commercial hunting bullets, ranging in size from around 6 to 12mm, may differ from the conical shape of military bullets in that they 

Artillery ammunition for guns, howitzers, cannons, and mortars ranges upwards in calibre from the 20mm limit that generally divides it from small-arms ammunition. Artillery ammunition is divided into three types  

Large-calibre artillery ammunition permits a more complex payload including high explosives, bursters, shrapnel, bursting charges, fuzes, incendiaries, etc. 

In addition to catalysts, stabilizers, opacifiers (to reduce heat radiation ahead of the flame), flash depressants, plasticizers, and binders, the main fuel and oxidizers for rocket propellants include 

While the term missile can apply to any projectile ammunition, guided missiles describes those rockets whose course or trajectory is controlled electronically by computers and communications equipment. 

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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. 

Triple base propellant. A propellant containing nitroglycerine, nitrocellulose and Picrite. 

Triple-based propellants are mixtures of nitroguanidine, nitrocellulose, and nitroglycerine. The mixture reduces the muzzle flash observed with double-based propellants, reduces the burn temperature, which protects the gun barrel, and increases the gas volume. Triple-based propellants are used in tank guns, large caliber guns, and some naval weapons. 

Nitroguanidine (NQ) is a nitramine compound containing one N-NOj group in its molecular structure. In contrast to cyclic nitramines such as HMX and RDX, its density is low and its heat of explosion is also comparatively low. However, the Mg of its combustion products is low because of the high mass fraction of hydrogen contained within the molecule. Incorporating NQ particles into a double-base propellant forms a composite propellant termed a triple-base propellant, as used in guns. 

Triple-base propellants are made by the addition of crystalUne nitroguanidine (NQ) to double-base propellants, similar to the way in which nitramine is added to CMDB propellants as described in the preceding section. Since NQ has a relatively high mole fraction of hydrogen within its molecular structure, the molecular mass of the combustion products becomes low even though the flame temperature is reduced. Table 4.13 shows the chemical composition, adiabatic flame temperature, and thermodynamic energy,/ as defined in Eq. (1.84), of a triple-base propellant at 10 MPa (NC 12.6% N). 

Fig. 4.26 Thermodynamic energies of singie-, doubie-, and triple-base propellants.

Figure 4.26 shows the thermodynamic energy,/ as defined in Eq. (1.84), of singlebase, double-base, and triple-base propellants as a function of the combustion temperature, Tg. Though the/values of double-base propellants are high, Tg is also high. In order to suppress gun erosion, Tg needs to be low. Triple-base propellants are thus formulated to reduce erosion while maximizing the /value. 

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)... 

Triple-Base Propellant. See under Propellant in this Glossary... 

Nitrocellulose-Base Solid Propellants, Including Single-Base, Double-Base and Triple-Base Propellants (1371—1405) Composite Propellants (1405—07)... 

Homogeneous or colloidal propellants consist of single, double and triple-base propellants whose salient features are ... 

Table 4.8 Some stabilizers for single-base, double-base and triple-base propellants.

DOUBLE-BASE AND TRIPLE-BASE PROPELLANTS. A description of double-base proplnts containing NC + NG was given in this Encycl under BALLI5TITE (Vol 2, pp B8-L to B10-L), under CANNON PROPELLANT Vol 2, pp C33-L to C37-L) and under CORDITE (VoL 3, PP C531-L to C541-R). Some Ball Powders, described in Vol 2, pp Bll-R to B16-L can be made double-base. The description did not include the German proplnts which were described previously in Refs 1, 2 3 and in Ref 4, pp Get 142 (Table 43) Ger 146 (Table 46), under PROPELLANT (Treibmittei)... 

The resulting compns were not as "cool as later developed proplnts contg NGufSee under Triple-Base Propellants)... 

US Double—Base Cannon Propellants. In Tables V, VI VII are given compns and some props of presently used proplnts. Proplnts M2, M5, M7, M8 M9 are "standard , whereas proplnts T31, T32 T33 are experimental. Proplnts contg NC, NG NGu are listed here under Triple—Base Propellants (See below)... 

Cool (or Cooled) Propellants This term is applied to artillery proplnts having an isochoric flame temp ranging approx from 2000 to 2700 K at 1000 psi and a heat of expln with an approx range from 700-800 cal/gm. The formulation of a cool proplnt may be that of a single-base, double-base, or triple-base propellant... 

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