Laboratory Experimentation and Basic Research Investigating Electric Solid Propellant Electrolytic Characteristics

摘要

Electric solid propellants (ESPs) ignite and extinguish under certain conditions upon the application and removal of an electrical voltage applied across electrodes imbedded in the propellant. This experimental study screens the thermal and electrical response of an ESP using small propellant samples. The study examined the thermal response of an ESP to an external flame at atmospheric conditions. The ESP would not ignite and self-sustain combustion with application of an external flame (1.9 J/s/mm~2) for up to 60 seconds at atmospheric pressure. The electrical response investigated electrode area ratio and electrode polarity effects of ESP at atmospheric conditions. Electrically stimulated combustion occurred preferentially at the anode when the anode to cathode area ratio was 1:1. Eor different sized electrode pairs (1:3 and 4:1 area ratios), electrically stimulated combustion preferentially occurred at the smaller electrode regardless of whether the electrode was the anode or cathode for the conditions investigated. At atmospheric conditions the propellant started and stopped with the application and removal of power and burned where the preferential electrode touched the propellant.