Chemical delivery systems for fire suppression

• US 6,328,906 B1
• Filed: 12/20/1999
• Issued: 12/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aerojet-General Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Atlantic Research Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lundstrom, Norman H., Greso, Aaron J., Scheffee, Robert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Edward A.
• Application Number:
  US09/466,777
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 149/36, 252/5
• US Class Current: 252/5
• CPC Class Codes: A62D 1/06 containing gas-producing, chemically-reactive components
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 25/34 the compound being a nitrated acyclic, alicyclic or heterocyclic amine
• CPC Class Codes: C06D 5/06 by reaction of two or more solids
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 281/16 Compounds containing any of the groups , e.g. aminoguanidine

Abstract

A pyrotechnic gas generant composition includes a high oxygen balance compound or fuel, preferably, azodiformamidine dinitrate, which is the resulting reaction product of an aminoguanidine salt and nitric acid. Specifically, the high oxygen balance compound or fuel of the present invention is the resulting reaction product of aminoguanidine salts, such as aminoguanidine nitrate, aminoguanidine bicarbonate, or aminoguanidine sulfate with nitric acid. Preferably, the aminoguanidine salt is aminoguanidine bicarbonate. The resulting reaction product is a yellow precipitate that can be used alone, with or without oxidizers or other additives, for very rapid self-deflagration or in combination with oxidizers and additives. In each instance, the gas generant composition provides both high gas output and low production of solid combustion products. Further, the precipitant is relatively non-hygroscopic and has a high burn rate. The gas generating composition is useful as a gas generator for an air bag of an occupant restraint system for an automobile, gun propellants, inflation and expulsion devices, flotation devices, pyrotechnics, fire suppression devices and smokeless, reduced smoke and smokey rocket propellants.

Claims

1. A chemical delivery system for fire suppression comprising:

a pyrotechnic gas generant composition which includes azodiformamidine dinitrate as a high oxygen balance fuel; and

a fire suppression chemical.

2. The chemical delivery system of claim 1, wherein said pyrotechnic gas generant composition includes 2-100% by weight of said high oxygen balance fuel.

3. The chemical delivery system of claim 2, wherein said pyrotechnic gas generant composition includes 40-100% by weight of said high oxygen balance fuel.

4. The chemical delivery system of claim 1, further comprising at least one oxidizer which is present in said pyrotechnic gas generant composition in an amount up to 98% by weight.

5. The chemical delivery system of claim 4, wherein said at least one oxidizer is present in an amount up to 60% by weight of said pyrotechnic gas generant composition.

6. The chemical delivery system of claim 5, wherein said at least one oxidizer is substantially non-hygroscopic.

7. The chemical delivery system of claim 1, wherein said pyrotechnic gas generant composition further includes at least one additive selected from the group consisting of a scavenger, ignition aid, ignition initiator, gas conversion catalyst, ballistic modifier, slag formers, binders, plasticizers, fuels, stabilizers, curing agents, cure catalysts, cross linkers, inorganic coolants, organic coolants and compounding aids and mixtures thereof.

8. The chemical delivery system of claim 4, wherein said at least one oxidizer is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, transition metal and transition metal complex nitrates, nitrites, chlorates, chlorites, perchlorates, chromates, or mixtures thereof.

9. The chemical delivery system of claim 4, wherein said oxidizer comprises sodium nitrate.

10. The chemical delivery system of claim 4, wherein said oxidizer comprises ammonium perchlorate.

11. The chemical delivery system of claim 4, wherein said oxidizer comprises phase stabilized ammonium nitrate.

12. The chemical delivery system of claim 1, wherein said azodiformamidine dinitrate is crystallized or recrystallized.

13. The chemical delivery system of claim 1, wherein said pyrotechnic gas generant composition includes at least one other high oxygen balance fuel.

14. The chemical delivery system of claim 13, wherein said at least one other high oxygen balance fuel is selected from the group consisting of hydrazodicarbonamidine, diazoguanidine, formamidine, bisformamidine, azobisformamidine derivative fuels and mixtures thereof.

15. The chemical delivery system of claim 14, wherein said azobisformamidine derivative is selected from the group consisting of guanyl azide nitrate, diazoguanidine nitrate, azobisnitroformamidine, 1,1′

-azodiformamidine dipicrate, and mixtures thereof.

16. The chemical delivery system of claim 4, wherein said at least one oxidizer is selected from at least one of the group consisting of ammonium perchlorate, ammonium nitrate, potassium perchlorate, strontium nitrate, potassium nitrate, lithium nitrate, lithium carbonate and mixtures thereof.