Development of a Solid, Low-Smoke Rocket Propellant – Smoke Generation Intensity Tests Using a Laser and Photodiode Setup

The work completed and discussed in this paper was to determine the level of smoke generation intensity in a selection of solid rocket propellants developed to minimise the level of generated smoke. This is an important issue for the application of the developed low-smoke propellant in, for example, the sustainer motor of a rocket missile. Reduced smoke generation levels can help to significantly reduce the feasibility of enemy detecting rocket munition launch sites. The authors of this paper developed a test stand that quantified the smoke generation intensity in rocket propellants. The test stand setup, based on the scatter of a laser beam by smoke, measured the smoke generation intensity, including during the operation of a rocket motor. A rocket micromotor was used along with a test chamber to measure the intensity of the smoke generated. It was located directly behind the motor exhaust and provided three laser-photodiode measurement channels. Tests of the smoke generated during the combustion of black powder and a standard mixture of HTPB and AP at a ratio of 20:80 provided reference baselines for the smoke generation intensity tests on the developed rocket propellants. The authors determined the smoke generation intensity of the propellants based on ADN, HTPB, and GAP with various additives. The results produced made it possible to compare the tested materials and select the most preferable materials as measured by their low smoke generation intensity.