The primary objective of this investigation was to identify correlations between ignition times and pyrolysis product distributions. Such correlations have been found for go/no-go ignition times, but not for first light ignition times. Several trends in pyrolysis product distribution as a function of propellant composition have been observed. Most of these trends are believed to be related to the ability of BTTN (1,2,4 Butane trinitrate) and TMETN (Trimethylolethane trinitrate) to ...
Pyrolysis gas chromatography Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic (GC-FTIR) techniques are being used to measure the distribution of both permanent gases and less volatile products from the pyrolysis of a Naval Weapons Center (NWC), China Lake, LOVA propellant formulation series containing HMX or RDX, the binders HTPB, GAP, BAMO/AMMO, and BAMO/THF, and the plasticizers BTTN and TMETN. The data obtained will be correlated with NWC time-to-ignition data to obtain information on ...
Five expert system shells (three example-based and two rule-based) were evaluated for this project. These shells offer an advantage in that they can help reveal interrelationships that are not readily apparent, since they draw their own conclusions from the data. However example-based systems are more rigid and inflexible which makes them more difficult to work with. Rule-based systems are more difficult to learn to use, since they involve entering if-then- ...
An expert system is being developed which will automate the propellant formulation design process. The expert system, being developed, uses Insight 2+, an expert system shell operating on an IBM AT-compatible microcomputer. The user is asked to specify requirements (e.g., desired energy, cost, burn rate, specific ingredient preferences) for the basic ingredients (oxidizer, binder, plasticizer,...). Based on these requirements, the individual ingredient databases are screened and those ingredients consistent with ...
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