Flameless Igniting Slurry Composition and Method of Preparing

Abstract

A flameless igniting slurry composition has an oxidizer, a fuel, a flame retardant, a liquid, and a rheology modifier. The rheology modifier and the flame retardant may be in particulate form. The flame retardant may be a water-soluble salt. The liquid may be water. The oxidizer may be potassium nitrate. The fuel may be silicon and charcoal. The composition may consist of on a mass basis 25-50% oxidizer, 20-30% fuel, 2-5% flame retardant, and 0.5-10% rheology modifier. The invention may be a device consisting of a shape of absorbent web material impregnated with the composition in a dried state. The invention may be a device consisting of the composition in a dried, particulate form. A process for producing the composition is also disclosed.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A pyrotechnic flameless ignition composition comprising:
 an oxidizer;   a fuel;   a flame retardant;   a liquid; and   a rheology modifier.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the rheology modifier is in particulate form. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the rheology modifier is at least one of the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polysaccharides, sucroglycerides of edible vegetable oil, and powdered smectite clay. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the flame retardant is in particulate form. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the flame retardant is a water-soluble salt. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 5  wherein the water-soluble salt is at least one of the group consisting of guanidine hydrochloride, guanidine acetate, guanidine sulfate, guanidine carbonate, guanidine thiocyanate, guanidine nitrate, and guanidine carbonate. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the liquid is an organic solvent. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the liquid is water. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the oxidizer is potassium nitrate. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the fuel is at least one of the group consisting of silicon and charcoal. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the composition comprises on a mass basis oxidizer 25-50%, fuel 20-30%, flame retardant 2-5%, and rheology modifier 0.5-10%. 
     
     
         12 . A pyrotechnic ignition device comprising a shape of absorbent web material impregnated with the composition of  claim 1  in a dried state. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12  wherein the absorbent web material is selected from the group consisting of cambric, uncoated fiberglass, and open cell foams made of polystyrene, polyurethane, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polybutadiene, rubber and copolymers of these materials with other polymeric substances. 
     
     
         14 . A pyrotechnic ignition device comprising the composition of  claim 1  in a dried, particulate form. 
     
     
         15 . A process for producing a pyrotechnic flameless ignition composition comprising the steps of:
 obtaining a quantity of oxidizer;   obtaining a quantity of fuel;   obtaining a quantity of flame retardant;   obtaining a quantity of liquid;   obtain a quantity of rheology modifier;   adding the quantity of rheology modifier to the quantity of liquid to form a dispersion;   adding the quantity of flame retardant to the dispersion to form a first mixture; and   adding the quantity of oxidizer and the quantity of fuel to the first mixture to form a second mixture.   
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 15  further comprising the steps of:
 obtaining a shape of absorbent web material; 
 impregnating the web material with the second mixture; and 
 drying the impregnated web material until the impregnated web material is solid. 
 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 15  further comprising the steps of:
 partially drying the second mixture; 
 rendering the partially dried second mixture into particulate form; and 
 drying the particulates until they are solid. 
 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 15  wherein the first mixture is an aqueous dispersion. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 15  wherein the second mixture is a slurry. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 15  wherein the second mixture comprises on a mass basis oxidizer 25-50%, fuel 20-30%, flame retardant 2-5%, and rheology modifier 0.5-10%. 
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 16  wherein the shape is selected from the group consisting of cup shapes, cylindrical shapes, hemispherical shapes, and rectangular shapes. 
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 16  wherein the absorbent web material is selected from the group consisting of cambric, uncoated fiberglass, and open cell foams made of polystyrene, polyurethane, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polybutadiene, rubber and copolymers of these materials with other polymeric substances.