[BProckets] sugar formulae stability

[donnie long]

Sleeter I believe stated this on dry ram mixture, the
kno3 is melted and poured, out of the 100's I have
made there have been no cato's.  donnie.
--- Dan Durachko <DanDurachko at PSU.edu> wrote:

> Sleeter's book (I don't have it with me here at
> work) indicates that
> KN-sucrose formulae undergo some sort of reaction
> (crystallization?) that
> alters the propellant grain in such a way that the
> burn rate increases with
> time.  Probably reaches some maximum - I don't have
> any idea of what a plot
> of the change in burn rate might resemble.  Anyway,
> following his method,
> you use a burn rate modifier (baking soda) to temper
> the burn rate such that
> you don't blow the casing and/or the nozzle you are
> using.  Since you're
> pushing the envelope of the materials you're using
> you would not want any
> significant increase in burn rate with storage of
> engines or you risk a
> cato.  So, I guess my question really should have
> been more like "Do all
> sugar formulae increase in burn rate during
> storage?"  I don't recall
> Sleeter indicating the reaction was due to the
> hygroscopic nature of the
> sugar propellant but I don't believe that was the
> case.
> 
> I may very well (no . . . I DID) have gone down this
> road armed with less
> knowledge than I should have had.  I don't even
> recall whether his sugar
> formula used a binder like his other propellants do
> or if it was dry rammed.
> I sort of brushed off that section of the book
> because of the mention of
> limited shelf life.  I do remember he suggests using
> his sugar rockets
> within 48 hours of production.  Just wouldn't work
> for me at this time.
> 
> Thanks for the input,
> 
> Dan
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: bprockets-bounces at amateurrocketry.com
> [mailto:bprockets-bounces at amateurrocketry.com] On
> Behalf Of donnie long
> Sent: Friday, November 05, 2004 11:52 AM
> To: Black Powder rockets discussion list
> Subject: RE: [BProckets] homemade rocket body
> material sources and
> techniques- "sugar" question
> 
> I have shot mine after a year and no problem, I am
> at
> work now so won't be able to give isp or either,
> check
> rick nakka site to get that info and your book
> should
> tell you the other, assuming.  donnie
> --- Dan Durachko <DanDurachko at psu.edu> wrote:
> 
> > I'll determine this on my own eventually but am I
> > correct in my current
> > understanding that *all* so-called "sugar"
> > formulations have quite limited
> > post-production shelf life?
> > 
> > Also, what are the theoretical and/or practical
> > Isp's for BP vs sugar?
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: bprockets-bounces at amateurrocketry.com
> > [mailto:bprockets-bounces at amateurrocketry.com] On
> > Behalf Of donnie long
> > Sent: Friday, November 05, 2004 10:39 AM
> > To: Black Powder rockets discussion list
> > Subject: Re: [BProckets] homemade rocket body
> > material sources and
> > techniques
> > 
> > Rocketryonline.com, rocketreviews.com, good place
> to
> > start, riknakka.net or put in sugar rocket
> engines. 
> > I
> > started out over 10 years ago with bp but switched
> > to
> > sugar engine's, easier, cheaper, more power. 
> donnie
> > --- Dan Durachko <DanDurachko at psu.edu> wrote:
> > 
> > > All:
> > > 
> > >  
> > > 
> > > I haven't actually built a rocket in over twenty
> > > years and have just
> > > recently zeroed in on my first BP engine a la
> > > Sleeter's book.  In
> > > anticipation of getting the book I'd been
> savings
> > > all sorts of tubes and
> > > have a box of balsa sheeting scraps for fins
> from
> > my
> > > other hobby pursuits.
> > > Also, I've only built Estes kits as a youth.
> > > 
> > >  
> > > 
> > > Questions:
> > > 
> > >  
> > > 
> > > 1)       What are good web or book resources for
> > > constructing rocket bodies?
> > > 
> > > 2)       At what point need I be concerned about
> > > high g forces on launch
> > > shredding my rockets and is this ultimately an
> > > empirical determination?
> > > 
> > > 3)       What techniques are used to prep
> > > paper/cardboard tubes for final
> > > painting?  (Some of my salvaged tubes have
> rather
> > > unattractive grooves in
> > > them due to their spiral wound nature.  I may
> wish
> > > to fill them in and paint
> > > over them sometime.)
> > > 
> > > 4)       What are the currently favored types of
> > > wadding to protect the
> > > chute, etc.?
> > > 
> > > 5)       What are some sources of nosecones? 
> > (I'll
> > > ultimately make some on
> > > my own from balsa and fiberglass and things like
> > > those eggs pantyhose come
> > > in but assume there are lots of sources I
> haven't
> > > yet thought of.)
> > > 
> > > 6)       Is there a quick and dirty way to
> > calculate
> > > how much delay I should
> > > build into my engines for a particular design so
> > > that I don't pop the chute
> > > WAY too early or WAY too late?
> > > 
> > > 7)       Feel free to chime in with any other
> > > guidelines you may think I
> > > should be made aware of.  (Shock cord info, fin
> > > geometry, etc.)
> > > 
> > > 8)       Oh yeah, I remember seeing some stuff
> > > awhile back about guys
> > > stripping down and hacking into digital
> disposable
> > > cameras for high altitude
> > > stills.  Any cutting edge references to that
> sort
> > of
> > > aerial photography
> > > would be much appreciated as well.
> > > 
> > >  
> > > 
> > > Whew . . . that should do for a start!
> > > 
> > >  
> > > 
> > > Later,
> > > 
> > >  
> > > 
> > > Dan
> > > 
> > > >
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> > > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
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