R. Meyer J. Köhler A. Homburg Explosives

313 Thermodynamic Calculation of Decomposition Reactions
Thermodynamic Calculation of Decomposition Reactions
Important characteristics of explosives and propellants may be calculated
from the chemical formula and the W Energy of Formation (enthalpy
in the case of rocket propellants) of the explosive propellant
components under consideration. The chemical formula of mixtures
may be obtained by the percentual addition of the atomic numbers of
the components given below, for example:
composition:
8% nitroglycerine
30% nitroglycol
1.5% nitrocellulose
53.5% ammonium nitrate
2% DNT
5% wood dust;
The number of atoms of C, H, O and N per kilogram are calculated from
Table 28.
C H O N
nitroglycerine
13.21 C; 22.02 H; 39.62 O;
13.21 N; 8 % thereof: 1.057 1.762 3.170 1.057
nitroglycol
13.15 C; 26.30 H; 39.45 O;
13.15 N; 30 % thereof: 3.945 7.890 11.835 3.945
nitrocellulose (12.5 % N)
22.15 C; 27.98 H; 36.30 O;
8.92 N; 1.5 % thereof: 0.332 0.420 0.545 0.134
ammonium nitrate
49.97 H, 37.48 O; 24.99 N;
53.5 % thereof: – 26.73 20.052 13.37
dinitrotoluene
38.43 C; 32.94 H; 21.96 O;
10.98 N; 2 % thereof: 0.769 0.659 0.439 0.220
wood meal
41.7 C; 60.4 H; 27.0 O;
53.5 % thereof: 2.085 3.02 1.35 –
8.19 40.48 37.39 18.73
As a result, the formula for one kilogram of the explosive can be
written:
C8.19H40.48O37.39N18.73.
The same calculation has to be made for gun and rocket propellants
as the first step.