%0 Journal Article %A Martin, Heath T. %A Zhang, Baoqi %A Kuo, Kenneth K. %D 2014 %I Begell House %K temperature sensitivity, burning rate, double-base propellant %N 1 %P 37-50 %R 10.1615/IntJEnergeticMaterialsChemProp.2014005311 %T TEMPERATURE SENSITIVITY OF GRANULAR PROPELLANTS USING A CONDITIONED CLOSED BOMB %U https://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/17bbb47e377ce023,76c2cb2847ba870e,324f186e12cb2cb6.html %V 13 %X In this study, a temperature-conditioned closed-bomb facility was employed to determine the temperature sensitivity of granular M48 double-base propellant, as part of a larger study on the effect of initial temperature on the interior ballistics and overall performance of the U.S. Army's 120-mm mortar system. In order to determine the temperature sensitivity of the propellant over a broad range of applicable conditions, at least three test firings were performed at each of four different initial temperatures: −47, −12, 21, and 63° C. The pressure histories recorded from each of these firings were used to deduce the linear burning rate ofM48 propellant as a function of pressure. In addition to the pressure measurements, non-intrusive acoustic emission technology was utilized in the closed-bomb tests to study the effect of initial temperature on the ignition delay of this propellant. Temperature sensitivity was found to be a constant equal to 0.37%/°C with pressure and for initial temperature between −12 and 63°C. However, the deduced burning rate at −47°C is greater than that at −12°C, leading to a temperature sensitivity of −0.07%/°C for initial temperatures below −12°C. Propellant grain fracture seems an unlikely explanation for this observation because the burning rate and vivacity behavior at −47°C mirrors that at the higher temperatures. The acoustic emission records have demonstrated an Arrhenius-type relationship between ignition delay time and initial temperature, which suggests that the propellant decomposition mechanism is not changing with temperature. %8 2014-04-04