Study of Rheological Properties and Factors Influencing the Ignition and Combustion Characteristics of HAN-based Electrically Controlled Gel Propellant

doi:10.12382/bgxb.2024.0609

Abstract

Abstract:

Gel propellant has the advantages of controllable combustion,easy to storage and good safety,which has potential application prospects in space micro-propulsion technology.Thus,in order to effectively improve the pipeline transportation efficiency of gel propellant and study the factors affecting its ignition and combustion characteristics,the rheological properties and the ignition and combustion characteristics of hydroxylamine nitrate (HAN)-based electronically controlled gel propellant are experimentally studied by using a rotary rheometer and an electro-chemical combustion diagnostic system.The results show that the viscosity of gel propellant can be dramatically declined by increasing the shear force and rising the temperature.When the gel propellant is subjected to a significant shear force,its loss modulus is more dominant than the storage modulus under external shear,and it begins to change from a solid to a fluid.The viscosity of gel propellant will increase rapidly when the external shear action disappears,which highlights the solid properties.In this experiment,the most suitable electrode material for HAN-based electrically controlled gel propellant is Mo electrode,which has the lowest ignition delaytime of 0.3s and the fastest volumetric burning rate of 0.21mL/s at 250V (25℃).On the other hand,the temperature has a significant effect on the ignition delay of gel propellant.The ignition delaytime of gel propellant decreases from 5.3s to 1.5s with the rise on temperature at 175V.But the temperature has no obvious effect on the volumetric burning rate.Combining with R-type thermocouple,the flame temperature distribution of gel propellant measured based on the thermocouple temperature measurement technology is in the range of 1200-1400K.

Key words: electrically controlled gel propellant, hydroxylamine nitrate, rheological behavior, electric ignition, combustion characteristics

LI Chuntian, WANG Zhidong, LI Lian, WANG Zhiwen, ZHANG Qianyi, LIU Haiqing, FANG PU Yixing, SHEN Ruiqi, ZHANG Wei. Study of Rheological Properties and Factors Influencing the Ignition and Combustion Characteristics of HAN-based Electrically Controlled Gel Propellant[J]. Acta Armamentarii, 2025, 46(7): 240609-.

Figures/Tables 11

Fig.1 Theoretical calculation of the properties of HAN-based electrically controlled gel propellant formulations

Table 1 Formulation composition of HAN-based gel propellant

组分	HAN溶液	高氯酸锂	甘油	黄原胶
含量/%	65.3	4.9	25.6	4.2

Table 2 Theoretical combustion products of HAN-based gel propellant

产物	H₂O	CO₂	CO	N₂	H₂	HCl	LiOH
含量/%	43.7	14.2	15.3	17.2	8.9	0.3	0.4

Fig.2 Schematic diagram of combustion diagnosis system

Fig.3 Signal diagram for calculating the ignition delay

Fig.4 Rheological characteristics of HAN-based electrically controlled gel propellant

Table 3 Power law equations of gel propellants at different temperatures

温度/℃	方程	n	R²
25	η=180.67 $γ · - 0.33$	0.67	0.999
45	η=173.78 $γ · - 0.26$	0.74	0.999
65	η=152.43 $γ · - 0.15$	0.85	0.999

Table 3 Power law equations of gel propellants at different temperatures

温度/℃	方程	n	R²
25	η=180.67 $γ · - 0.33$	0.67	0.999
45	η=173.78 $γ · - 0.26$	0.74	0.999
65	η=152.43 $γ · - 0.15$	0.85	0.999

Fig.5 Ignition delay characteristics of HAN based gel propellants

Fig.6 Burning rate characteristics of HAN based gel propellants

Fig.7 Combustion images of HAN-based electrically controlled gel propellant

Table 4 Measured combustion temperatures

测试次数	第1次	第2次	第3次	第4次
温度/K	1358.7	1402.5	1420.6	1263.7

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