ADVANCED PROPELLANT/ADDITIVE DEVELOPMENT FOR FIRE SUPPRESSING GAS GENERATORS: DEVELOPMENT + TEST

Published

January 1, 2002

Author(s)

Stephen Fallis, Russell Reed, G F. Holland, J L. McCormick

Abstract

The “Advanced Propellant/Additive Development for Gas Generator” project is a collaborative effort between General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS) and the Naval Air Warfare Center-Weapons Division (NAWCWD). The objectives of this NGP project are to develop new highly efficient, environmentally acceptable, chemically active fire suppressant capabilities based upon solid propellant gas generators; and improve understanding of propellant and additive effectiveness in fire suppression. New propellant formulations, based upon novel high-energy, high-nitrogen fuels, were refined in order to reduce overall combustion temperatures while maintaining ballistic robustness. These fuels included 5-aminotetrazole and the new high nitrogen compound BTATZ (C4H4N14). The fuels were formulated with oxidizers and chemical coolants to reduce combustion temperatures, and modified with chemical additives to enhance fire suppression effectiveness. Cooler exhausts were also generated using Hybrid Fire Extinguisher systems, which contain combinations of solid propellant gas generators and fire suppressing fluids. Suppression effectiveness of several propellant and hybrid configurations was tested in the GD fire test fixture against a controlled JP-8 fire. These tests compared HFE to SPGG performance, evaluated the effect of discharge temperature and the presence of chemically active additives. This presentation will summarize results to date of propellant formulations, hybrid configurations and fire suppression effectiveness testing, and attempt to correlate effectiveness with additives and exhaust temperature.

Citation

Special Publication (NIST SP) - 984-4

Report Number

984-4

NIST Pub Series

Special Publication (NIST SP)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

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Citation

Fallis, S. , Reed, R. , Holland, G. and McCormick, J. (2002), ADVANCED PROPELLANT/ADDITIVE DEVELOPMENT FOR FIRE SUPPRESSING GAS GENERATORS: DEVELOPMENT + TEST, Special Publication (NIST SP), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=909439 (Accessed April 19, 2024)