Effect of radiant energy on the burning rate of a composite solid propellant

This paper describes the measured effect of radiant energy flux on the atmospheric pressure burning rate of a solid propellant. It was concluded that the effect is negligible except when the propellant burning rate is very low as, for example, during the quench of a controllable motor. Also, from the experimental data, it was calculated that the PBAN-AP propellant had an apparent surface temperature of 560 °C and an apparent exothermic solid decomposition that liberated 130 cal/g.