Technology to the Warfighter Quicker

Environmentally Benign Black Smoke Pyrotechnic Formulation

Environmentally Benign Black Smoke Pyrotechnic Formulation

Dr. Gary Chen

Presented by Mr. Noah Lieb

Pyrotechnic Research & Technology BranchU.S. Army RDECOM-ARDEC

Picatinny, NJ 07806-5000

Hughes Associates, Inc.

Pyrotechnic Research & Technology BranchU.S. Army RDECOM-ARDEC

Picatinny, NJ 07806-5000

Hughes Associates, Inc.

Maryalice Miller, Program DirectorResearch, Development & Engineering Command- Environmental

Acquisition and Logistics Sustainment Program

Bill Ruppert, Ordnance Environmental Program ManagerHughes Associates, Inc.

Dr. Mark JohnsonU.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine

Jim Wejsa, Branch ChiefPicatinny Pyrotechnics R&T Branch

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

BackgroundBackground

• Black smoke is an integrated part of pyrotechnics used to simulate battlefield effects and realisms (target hit, target kill, flash, sound, etc.) during pre-deployment training

• Old GUFS/ATKS systems (M26 Target Kill) have been phased out with Battlefield Effect Simulator (BES)

• Target Kill Simulator is used to cue the gunner and tank crew on live-fire ranges of a killed target by emitting black smoke when a target is struck

• Old black smoke formulation contains naphthalene or anthracene and potassium perchlorate

• There is no black smoke simulator currently available due to environmental impacts

Naphthalene Naphthalene

• Old black smoke formulation contains naphthalene (benzene ring type) which is a possible carcinogen.

• Naphthalene (two benzene rings side by side) • Highest risk from inhalation• Binds weakly to soils and sediment

– Easily passes through sandy soils to reach underground water

• Potential combustion products: benzene ring type compounds

‘Old’ Composition/ System‘Old’ Composition/ System

M26 Target Kill SimulatorATKS

• System– Black smoke formulation and process are

compatible to all BES systems (Force on Target and Force on Force)

• Performance Requirements (Subject to change):– Burn Time: 20-25 seconds (Discretion of

user)– Smoke Type: black smoke– Smoke Visibility Distance: 1800 meters

• Initial Goal – Demonstration on Titan OMEGA system

Project DescriptionProject Description

• Pyrotechnic Black Smoke (primary approach)– Old method - Black smoke (essentially the carbon

particles suspended in air) is produced by burning organic compounds laden with carbon and hydrogen.

– New method – Heat up colored dye to sublimation and recondense in air to create black colored smoke

• Physically Generated Black Smoke (alternate approach)– Black smoke is generated through dispersing black

carbon particles in the air with a pyrotechnic– Focus on physical assembly and selection of

dispersion pyrotechnic

Smoke MechanismSmoke Mechanism

Environmental Health AssessmentEnvironmental Health Assessment

Persistence TransportCombustion

ProductsHuman

HealthEcologic

Health Data Gaps

Charcoal

Gum Arabic

Potassium Nitrate

Water (cold)

Likely Benign

Possible Problem

Probable Problem

Unknown

Igniter Composition

Environmental Health AssessmentEnvironmental Health Assessment

Likely Benign

Possible Problem

Probable Problem

Unknown

Persistence TransportCombustion Products

Human Health

Ecologic Health Data Gaps

Magnesium Carbonate

Potassium Chlorate

VAAR

Stearic Acid

Ethyl Acetate

Black Powder (BP)

Solvent Green 3

Disperse Red 9 .

Disperse Red 11

Solvent Red 1

Sugar (Sucrose)

Black Smoke Composition

Small Scale Smoke Test Set-upSmall Scale Smoke Test Set-up

Crucible Smoke Test Small Pellet Smoke Test

Crucible Smoke TestCrucible Smoke Test

Black smoke, 15 seconds, thick*Potassium chlorate

Small Pellet Smoke TestSmall Pellet Smoke Test

Variation of SS-660Less soot but smoke remains thin, duration of 8 seconds

Physical Dispersion ApproachPhysical Dispersion Approach

• Approach: Three carbon samples were evaluated during initial testing

• Outdoor Tests:– 2 gms Class 7 Black

Powder was loaded in a 20 gauge shotgun shell

– The samples were then tested in the open using an electric match as the ignition source

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Microtrac: Sterling R X76

Video: Formulation SS-854Video: Formulation SS-854

Current WorkCurrent Work

• Phase II testing completed– Produced and tested 300 cartridges for the

Titan Dynamic Systems• Downselected to final formulation• Phase III testing underway

ImplementationImplementation

• Integration and Leveraging– Integrate developed formulations into BES system– Leverage resources available from the BES simulator production

contractor • Transition Path

– PM-Close Combat Systems (PM-CCS) funding engineering proposal & approval

– Type classification– Hardware fabrication at production level– System performance qualification– Transportation/vibration testing– Final hazard classification and energetic material qualification– Safety & environmental approval– Material Release

• Endorsements– PM-CCS– PEO-Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation (STRI)

Questions?Questions?

• Contact Picatinny Pyrotechnics R&T Branch– Dr. Gary Chen

• gary.chen@us.army.mil• 973-724-2663

– Shawna Showalter• sshowal@pica.army.mil• 973-724-4954

– Gretel Raibeck• graibeck@pica.army.mil• 973-724-3081