Method of safely initiating combustion of a gas generant composition using an autoignition composition
First Claim
1. A method of safely initiating combustion of a gas generator or pyrotechnic composition in a gas generator or pyrotechnic device having a housing when the gas generator or pyrotechnic device is exposed to flame or a high temperature environment, the method comprising:
- forming an autoignition composition having an autoignition temperature by mixing an oxidizer composition and a powdered molybdenum metal fuel, wherein the oxidizer composition comprises at least one of an alkali metal nitrate, an alkaline earth metal nitrate, a complex salt nitrate, a dried, hydrated metal nitrate, silver nitrate, an alkali metal chlorate, an alkali metal perchlorate, an alkaline earth metal chlorate, an alkaline earth metal perchlorate, ammonium perchlorate, sodium nitrite, potassium nitrite, silver nitrite, a solid organic nitrate, a solid organic nitrite, or a solid organic amine or a mixture or comelt thereof, wherein the metal fuel is present in an amount at least sufficient to provide a substantially stoichiometric mixture of metal fuel and oxidizer, such that the autoignition composition has an autoignition temperature of no more than about 232°
C.; and
placing the autoignition composition in thermal contact with the gas generator or pyrotechnic composition within the gas generator or pyrotechnic device, such that the autoignition composition autoignites at an autoignition temperature of no more than about 232°
C., and initiates combustion of the gas generator or pyrotechnic composition when the gas generator or pyrotechnic device is exposed to flame or a high temperature environment.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to an autoignition composition for safely initiating combustion of a main pyrotechnic charge in a gas generator or pyrotechnic device exposed to flame or a high temperature environment. The autoignition compositions of the invention include a mixture of an oxidizer composition and a powdered metal, wherein the oxidizer composition includes at least one of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal nitrate, a complex salt nitrate, such as Ce(NH4)2 (NO3)6 or ZrO(NO3)2, a dried, hydrated nitrate, such as Ca(NO3)2 ·4H2 O or Cu(NO3)2 ·2.5H2 O, silver nitrate, an alkali or alkaline earth chlorate, an alkali or alkaline earth metal perchlorate, ammonium perchlorate, a nitrite of sodium, potassium, or silver, or a solid organic nitrate, nitrite, or amine, such as guanidine nitrate, nitroguanidine and 5-aminotetrazole, respectively. The present invention also relates to a method for initiating a gas generator or pyrotechnic composition in a gas generator or pyrotechnic device exposed to flame or a high temperature environment. In the method of the invention, the gas generator or pyrotechnic composition is placed in thermal contact with an autoignition composition of the invention.
-
Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A method of safely initiating combustion of a gas generator or pyrotechnic composition in a gas generator or pyrotechnic device having a housing when the gas generator or pyrotechnic device is exposed to flame or a high temperature environment, the method comprising:
-
forming an autoignition composition having an autoignition temperature by mixing an oxidizer composition and a powdered molybdenum metal fuel, wherein the oxidizer composition comprises at least one of an alkali metal nitrate, an alkaline earth metal nitrate, a complex salt nitrate, a dried, hydrated metal nitrate, silver nitrate, an alkali metal chlorate, an alkali metal perchlorate, an alkaline earth metal chlorate, an alkaline earth metal perchlorate, ammonium perchlorate, sodium nitrite, potassium nitrite, silver nitrite, a solid organic nitrate, a solid organic nitrite, or a solid organic amine or a mixture or comelt thereof, wherein the metal fuel is present in an amount at least sufficient to provide a substantially stoichiometric mixture of metal fuel and oxidizer, such that the autoignition composition has an autoignition temperature of no more than about 232°
C.; andplacing the autoignition composition in thermal contact with the gas generator or pyrotechnic composition within the gas generator or pyrotechnic device, such that the autoignition composition autoignites at an autoignition temperature of no more than about 232°
C., and initiates combustion of the gas generator or pyrotechnic composition when the gas generator or pyrotechnic device is exposed to flame or a high temperature environment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 17)
-
-
14. A method of safely initiating combustion of a gas generator or pyrotechnic composition in a gas generator or pyrotechnic device having a housing when the gas generator or pyrotechnic device is exposed to flame or a high temperature environment, the method comprising:
-
forming an autoignition composition having an autoignition temperature by mixing an oxidizer composition, which comprises a mixture of silver nitrate and guanidine nitrate, and a powdered metal fuel, which comprises molybdenum, wherein the molybdenum metal fuel is present in an amount at least sufficient to provide a substantially stoichiometric mixture of metal fuel and oxidizer, such that the autoignition composition has an autoignition temperature of no more than about 232°
C.; andplacing the autoignition composition in thermal contact with the gas generator or pyrotechnic composition within the gas generator or pyrotechnic device, such that the autoignition composition autoignites at an autoignition temperature of no more than about 232°
C., and initiates combustion of the gas generator or pyrotechnic composition when the gas generator or pyrotechnic device is exposed to flame or a high temperature environment. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
-
Specification