AN ADVANCED RAPID INITIATION PROPAGATION IGNITOR SYSTEM FOR LOVA PROPELLANTS

RAPID INITIATED PROPAGATION (RIP) IGNITORS PROVIDE MORE UNIFORM FLAME SPREADING THROUGH PROPELLANT BEDS THROUGH CYLINDRICAL WAVE EXPANSION ACCOMPANIED BY REDUCED EXPANSION EFFECTS ON THE PRESSURE PULSE. IMPROVEMENTS IN RIP IGNITOR PERFORMANCE ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH: INCREASES IN PRIMER CHARGE DENSITY, REDUCTION IN IGNITOR FREE VOLUME, BLENDS OF IGNITOR MATERIALS, AND USE OF HIGH EMISSIVITY SOLIDS. THE PROGRAM WILL CONDUCT AN ANALYTICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PARAMETRIC INVESTIGATION OF ADVANCED RAPID INITIATION PROPAGATION (ARIP) IGNITOR DESIGNS BASED ON THESE IMPROVEMENTS. AN EXISTING ARIP IGNITOR PERFORMNCE CODE WILL BE MODIFIED AND UPGRADED FOR THIS APPLICATION. BASED ON IGNITION HEAT FLUX REQUIREMENTS FOR LOVA PROPELLANTS, CANDIDATE ARIP IGNITORS WILL BE DESIGNED. RADIANT HEAT FLUX OUTPUTS WILL BE MEASURED THROUGH USE OF A THERMAL GRADIENT TECHNIQUE. EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE INDICATING LOVA PROPELLANT IGNITION REQUIREMENTS ARE MET WILL CONSTITUTE DEMONSTRATION OF TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY OF THE ARIP CONCEPT.