Universal Propulsion Company, Inc.

Universal Propolsion Company

Goodrich Corporation

Donald E Olander

Hugh J McSpadden

Wayne C Fleming

Donald J Lewis

Michael C Magenot

Michael L Schall

James Campbell

The present invention is directed to an age-stabilized and/or strengthened ammonium nitrate propellant composition wherein the strengthening agent is selected from the group consisting of azodicarbonamide, dicyandiamide, oxamide and mixtures thereof and wherein the age-stabilizing agent is a molecular sieve having a pore size of 13 angstroms or less.

Ammonium nitrate propellants and methods for preparing the same

A fire suppression system for a substantially enclosed area comprises: a plurality of solid propellant aerosol generators disposed about the enclosed area for exhausting a fire suppressant aerosol that is substantially void of an ozone depleting material into the enclosed area. Each aerosol generator including an ignition element for igniting the solid propellant thereof. Each ignition element of the aerosol generators being coupled to a fire control unit which is operative to ignite the solid propellant of at least one aerosol generator utilizing the ignition element thereof to exhaust fire suppressant aerosol into the enclosed area. Each aerosol generator preferably includes a container which comprises: a housing including an orifice for exhausting the fire suppressant aerosol; a solid propellant disposed inside of the housing; at least one cover mounted to the housing to seal correspondingly at least one open side thereof; an ignition material coupled to the solid propellant for igniting the solid propellant to produce the fire suppressant aerosol; and at least one baffle disposed integral to the housing to capture non-usable effluent.

Fire suppression system and solid propellant aerosol generator for use therein

Preparation of strengthened ammonium nitrate propellants

A method and a device for producing a sufficient quantity of a fire suppressing gaseous product to substantially suppress a fire. The device has a first stage gas source containing a pyrotechnic gas generating material and a second stage gas source in fluid communication at a first location with an outlet of the first stage gas source and, at a second location, with an outlet for dispersing gas. The second stage gas source contains at least one liquified gas or supercritical carbon dioxide, where the first stage gas source is capable of providing a sufficient quantity of gas at a sufficiently high temperature to vaporize at least a portion of the liquified gas or supercritical carbon dioxide in the second stage gas source, thereby producing a fire suppressing gaseous output, which exits the device through the outlet for dispersing gas, in an amount sufficient to at least partially suppress a fire. At least one of the pyrotechnic gas generating material, the liquified gas, and the supercritical carbon dioxide is mixed with or includes at least one fire suppressant material selected from the group consisting of elemental halogens and alkali metal halides.

Gas generating device

Ammonium nitrate propellants

Methods for preparing age-stabilized propellant compositions

The invention relates to flame suppression compositions including an inorganic halogen-containing component including bromine, iodine, or a mixture thereof, and an organic binder system having a heat of formation of less than about 200 cal/g, wherein the composition is solid at a temperature below 100.degree. C. and combusts at a temperature between about 160.degree. C. to 1200.degree. C. to produce a plurality of reaction products capable of suppressing a flame upon application thereto and wherein substantially all the halogen is converted to a solid form after suppressing the flame. The invention also relates to methods of suppressing flames by combining an inorganic halogen-containing component including bromine, iodine, or a mixture thereof, with an organic binder system having a heat of formation of less than about 200 cal/g to form a solid composition, generating a plurality of reaction products from the composition in a substantially gaseous form, wherein the reaction products have a velocity, and applying the reaction products at a temperature of between about 160.degree. C. to 1200.degree. C. to at least one flame in an amount sufficient to suppress the flame, wherein substantially all the halogen is solid after suppressing the flame.

Methods for suppressing flame

The present invention relates to an inflator device that is adapted for producing a sufficient quantity of a gaseous product to substantially inflate an inflatable member. The inflator device has a first stage gas source in fluid communication with a second stage gas source, which, in turn, is in fluid communication with the inflatable member. The second stage gas source contains a liquified gas in an amount sufficient to inflate the inflatable member upon vaporization of the liquified gas, and the first stage gas source is capable of providing a sufficient quantity of gas at a sufficiently high temperature to the second stage gas source to vaporize substantially all of the liquified gas in the second stage gas source.

Apparatus for rapid inflation of inflatable object and related method

A dimensionally stable case for supporting and controllably combusting propellant and/or gas-generant combustion gases is disclosed. The case is permeable to the combustion gases produced at temperatures above ambient temperature but below the auto-ignition temperature of the propellant and/or gas-generant supported therein. Further, the case is dimensionally stable without the use of metals, alloys or the like that yield shrapnel upon explosion in the barrel section of the case. Thus, an Insensitive Munitions case capable of passing cook-off tests is provided.

Method for making a case for combustible materials

Compositions and methods for suppressing flame

A motor for impelling a missile or projectile has a housing and a plurality of spaced walls defining progressive compartments in the housing. A nozzle in one of the compartments produces a thrust for the missile or projectile when pressurized gases flow through it. Igniters extending into the individual compartments ignite propellants in such compartments. The igniter in an individual one of the compartments is energized initially and the igniters progressively displaced from such individual compartment are thereafter energized sequentially. Each wall separating an individual pair of adjacent compartments has a normally closed valve. Each valve has a first orifice of relatively great area in the compartment closer to the nozzle and a second orifice of limited area in the compartment further from the nozzle. A membrane between the orifices prevents the valve from being opened by a pressure from the closer compartment until this pressure becomes relatively great (e.g. 6500 psi). When a comparatively low pressure (e.g. 1500 psi) is applied in the second orifice by propellant combusting in the further compartment, the membrane ruptures. The rupture is facilitated by dimpling the membrane in the direction from the second orifice toward the first orifice. When the membrane is ruptured, gases from the propellant combusting in the further compartment flow through the valve and then through the nozzle and gradually erode the membrane and orifice. This causes the gases in the compartments to be maintained at equal pressures sufficiently great to sustain the propellant combustion in the further compartment.

Growing community of inventors

Tempe, AZ, United States of America

Donald E Olander