Pyrotechnic Burn Rate Measurements: Strand Testing

K.L. and B.J Kosanke

Background: Burn rate is one of the most fundamentally important properties of pyrotechnic materials. While burn rate may be measured as a mass burn rate (mass of pyrotechnic composition consumed per unit time, e.g., g/s), linear burn rate is most commonly used. Linear burn rate can be defined as the distance the burning surface of a pyrotechnic composition advances inwardly (perpendicular to the burning surface) per unit time, and typically would be reported as inches per second (or mm/s). Even for a specific pyrotechnic material with a defined composition (including prescribed particle size and shape) there are a number of factors that will effect its burn rate.[1] Generally the most important factors, ranked roughly in order of importance, are: ambient pressure, loading pressure (composition density), temperature, and burning surface area. Accordingly, for burn rate measurements to be most useful, they must take each of these additional factors into consideration.


Ref: Selected Pyrotechnic Publication of K.L. and B.J Kosanke, Part 6, (2001-2002), pp 100-103
(K6_100)

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