Flow Characteristics of Explosive Slurry Injection System

An experimental program has been performed to investigate the fluid flow characteristics of aqueous, explosive slurries in a flow system which simulated the conditions present in the Picatinny Arsenal fluidized bed incinerator. Aqueous slurries containing 15, 20, and 25% weight by TNT, Composition B, HMX, and M-1 propellant were flowed above, at and below the 3.64 fps (1.109 m/sec) injection gun design flow velocity. The tests proved that all the materials can be safely flowed in this particular system, with the exception of 12 mesh or larger M1 propellant particle sizes. The venturi flowmeter proved to be an effective means of monitoring slurry flow rate. Finally, it was found that water injected into a simulated combustion chamber, containing 0 to 6 psig (0-41.36 x 1000 pascals) air pressure, flows at a mass flow rate which is independent of chamber pressure.