Nitrochemie Aschau Gmbh

Nitrochemie Wimmis Ag

Bruno Ossola

Beat Vogelsanger

Alexander Huber

Kurt Ryf

Alfred Steinmann

Christian Wagner

Ulrich Schaedeli

Oliver Hampel

Markus Fahrni

Ulrike Jeck-Prosch

For production of a propellant charge powder, especially for medium and large calibers, in a process in which the solid is incorporated together with a liquid in a mixing and drying process into the channels of a granular green material and compacted therein to form a plug, the solid, under otherwise identical process conditions, is set within a setting range of &#x3e;0-0.5% by weight based on the weight of the granular green material. For more significant lowering of the maximum pressure within an upper temperature range and for more significant raising of the maximum pressure within a lower temperature range of the application temperature range, an increased amount of solid is used. The solid is a substance whose melting point is at least 10&#xb0; C., especially 20&#xb0; C., above a maximum use temperature of the propellant charge powder and which is inert toward the granular green material. Since the plug consists virtually exclusively of inert material, a high ballistic stability is achieved.

Use of a solid for the production of a propellant powder

The method for producing a propellant powder (TLP) with a layered grain structure starts with a green powder, which is impregnated in a watery emulsion with an energetic plasticizer and a polymeric deterrent. Propellant powders (TLP) can be produced in industrial quantities by avoiding the dangerous direct introduction of a blasting oil. The propellant powders (TLP) produced in this way have similar characteristics and a similar structure as the known propellant powders (TLP).

Method for producing a functional, high-energetic material

The proposed propellant powder exhibits a temperature-independent burning behavior and high ballistic stability. The production process starts with a perforated bulk powder grain, which is processed inside a mixing apparatus with a solid material, a plug-stabilizing moderator or deterrent (if necessary also a radical initiator) and a low-viscous liquid. With a minimum amount of solid material, moderator or deterrent and liquid and because of the continuous mixing, the form function is influenced in such a way that the gas-formation rate is practically independent of the propellant powder temperature. As a result, the muzzle energy at the normal temperature and, above all, at a low deployment temperature can be increased markedly as compared to that of a standard propellant powder. With the propellant powder according to the invention, for which the grain has at least one perforation that discharges with an opening to the outside surface of the grain, wherein the opening is closed off with a plug, the plug has a temperature-dependent mobility. As a result, the plug has a higher mobility for a lower deployment temperature than for a higher deployment temperature, so that the plug permits a faster hole burning at a lower deployment temperature than at a higher deployment temperature.

Temperature-independent propellant powder

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Faulensee, Switzerland

Bruno Ossola