Studies of the Thermal Stability and Sensitiveness of Sulfur/Chlorate Mixtures — Part 5: Application of Self-Heating Theory to the Prediction of Ignition Temperatures

J. E. Fletcher

ABSTRACT: The self-heating models of Frank-Kamenetskii and Thomas have been applied to predict self-ignition temperatures for sulfur-chlorate mixtures in spherical and cylindrical geometries of varying size. The models were validated by comparison to experimental cardboard tube test data previously reported. It was found that the Frank-Kamenetskii model, combined with kinetic data from differential scanning calorimetry, gave the best agreement with the experimental results. However, careful selection of the kinetic parameters proved critical and, in this study, DSC data provided more relevant predictions than ARC data. By appropriate selection of size and geometry, the models could be further applied to predict self-ignition temperatures for other mixtures and geometries or systems that can be related to actual fireworks.

Keywords: sulfur, chlorate, fireworks, thermal stability, self-heating, Frank-Kamenetskii, Thomas

Ref: JPyro, Issue 18, 2003, pp53-62
(J18_53)

Avril