Study on combustion wave structure of hydrogen storage alloy/AP/HTPB propellant

The flame structures, combustion surface temperature, quenched surface appearances, quenched surface relict elements and quenched surface relict compounds of Al/AP/HTPB propellant(P-A0), Al/hydrogen storage alloy/AP/HTPB propellant (P-A10) and hydrogen storage alloy/AP/HTPB propellant(P-A17) were researched by using single frame photography, W-Re micro-thermal couple, scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectrum(EDS) and X-ray diffraction(XRD) methods. The results show that the combustion surface of P-A10 and P-A17 exhibits a stronger injection phenomena compared to P-A0; their surface temperatures are increased by 5.92°C and 7.45°C, respectively, and their condensed phase reaction areas are increased by 13.13% and 47.30% separately in the presence of hydrogen storage alloy; The quenched surface of P-A17 is neat relatively, and the swell surface of alloy group is mostly oxidized; The amount of carbon left behind on quenched surfaces of P-A10 and P-A17 is lowed by 15.81% and 27.61% separately, which proves that combustion efficiency of AP/HTPB propellant organic components on the burning surface could be promoted by hydrogen storage alloy; The amount of Al on quenched surface changes from high to low and when the amount of Al₂O₃ on quenched surface changes from low to high by the order of P-A0, P-A10 and P-A17, which proves that combustion efficiency of hydrogen storage alloy is higher than Al. Combustion properties of AP/HTPB propellant could be improved when using hydrogen storage alloy as combustion agent in place of Al.