Laser Ignition of Two Low-Vulnerability RDX-Based Gun Propellants: Influence of the Atmosphere on Ignition and Combustion Properties.

Designed to increase safety of people and property during their different stages of life (storage, transportation, handling), low-vulnerability ammunitions (LOVA) can lead to ignition issues during their use. Ignition and combustion characteristics of two LOVA RDX-based gun propellants are experimentally investigated in this paper. The ignition is performed by a laser diode, and combustion is studied in a closed-volume reactor for different initial pressures (10–70 bar) and laser powers (1.39 to 10.13 W). The present study especially focuses on the influence of atmosphere nature: new results under synthetic air are compared to results previously obtained under argon and nitrogen. Air appears to have a different effect on combustion properties following the nature of the propellant. For P1, composed of RDX and HTPB, the highest overpressures and propagation rates are obtained under air. On the contrary, similar performances have been encountered under air and argon for the RDX/NC propellant P2. Ignition delays and probabilities, as for them, seem to be more sensitive to laser power than to atmosphere nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]