Impact of spring pressure on ignition and combustion of electrically controlled solid propellant

The electrode structures in ignition devices for Electrically Controlled Solid Propellants (ECSP) can be classified into fixed and movable types. In movable electrode structures, springs are typically used to push the electrodes and the propellant. The effects of spring pressure on the ignition and combustion of propellants have not yet been studied. In this paper, a universal testing machine and an electrochemical workstation were firstly utilized to investigate the compressive mechanical property and conductivity of Hydroxylamine Nitrate (HAN)-ECSP. The maximum pressure at which the propellant undergoes elastic deformation is 65 kPa. When the spring pressure increased from 5.1 kPa to 20.4 kPa, the propellant resistance decreased from 56.8 Ω to 36.8 Ω. Various observation methods were employed to study the process of electrical energy injection and the ignition and combustion characteristics under constant voltage. Appropriately increasing the spring pressure can accelerate the injection of electrical energy into the propellant, increase the electrification current, and thus reduce the initial ignition delay time of the propellant. When the spring pressure is 20.4 kPa, the squeezing speed of the propellant is too fast, making it difficult for the propellant to be adequately heated at the electrode interface, which is unfavorable for ignition. Excessive spring pressure also leads to the accumulation of a large amount of combustion residue on the electrode plate, hindering the mixing and diffusion of hot gases during the second ignition process, preventing the gaseous flame of the propellant. When the spring pressure is 5.1 kPa, improving the working voltage can enhance the repeated ignition characteristics of the propellant.