Advanced Rotorcraft Shipboard Landing Aerodynamic Interference Software Modules

Apogee Engineering Inc. proposes to R&D a unique process for dehydrating a slurry of10% pelletized nitrocellulose (PNC) in water, ending with a final product of 60% PNCin a n-heptane slurry with a maximum of 0.1% water. The existing process involvesdrying the PNC to dryness in ovens and handling trays of material manually, thenmixing it with very low flash point n-heptane. One can draw their own conclusionsregarding the safety of this process. The Apogee goal is to use the best availabletechnology so that the resulting process is: Operable and performs as required, Safe,Continuous, Energy and environmentally efficient, Minimal capital and operating costand Composed of robust unit operations and equipment. Five options for processes havebeen proposed for evaluation and several others considered and rejected. The bestprocess may be a combination of unit operations selected from among the five options.Membrane technology will probably be used. Principle investigator, David Lee Tanner,P.E.chemical engineer with over 45 years experience in diverse technologies, will establishthe correct design basis for the process. A robust and superior process will bedeveloped that will meet the needs of the Navy, other DOD components and the privatesector.Benefits to the Navy, as a result of this research and development, will be thecreation of a safer, automated and less labor intensive process for the dehydrationof their pelletized nitrocellulose for use in composit cast modified double baseexplosives. The technology developed will also be of benefit to other DOD components.Apogee employees have conceived a unique processing step utilizing pervaporationmembranes that may have utility in the pigment and dye industry, the pharmaceuticalindustry and the explosive and propellant industry in the private sector. Thistechnology is anticipated to be patentable based on a percursory patent search.Successful development of this technology and obtaining patent rights would leadto a partnership with an established equipment manufacturing company that would be ina position to market this technology to an established customer base with anestablished marketing structure.