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T ank-automotive & A rmaments COM mand

JOCG Continuous Mixer and Extruder User’s Group Conference 29-31 October, 2002 Processing M206 Infrared Decoy Flare Composition Through a Twin Screw Mixer/Extruder Timothy E. Dawag Warheads, Energetics and Combat-support Center Armament Systems Process Division US Army TACOM-ARDEC

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T ank-automotive & A rmaments COM mand

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  1. JOCG Continuous Mixer and Extruder User’s Group Conference 29-31 October, 2002 Processing M206 Infrared Decoy Flare Composition Through a Twin Screw Mixer/Extruder Timothy E. Dawag Warheads, Energetics and Combat-support Center Armament Systems Process Division US Army TACOM-ARDEC Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey 07806-5000 Tank-automotive&ArmamentsCOMmand

  2. Outline Program Objectives Background The Method Twin Screw Extruder Facility Continuing Efforts Acknowledgements Committed to Excellence

  3. Program Objectives Baseline a continuous manufacturing process for M206 IR Decoy Flare composition which is transferable to production-scale facilities Produce material to press and load into casings for flight testing Committed to Excellence

  4. Background –M206 Decoy Flare Current manufacturing method is a Batch operation • Personnel Concerns • Extensive operator exposure to • hazardous materials and operations • Decanting bulk quantities of flare • composition • Drying composition in large walk-in • ovens with solvent vapors • Environmental Concerns • Large amounts of organic solvents utilized (hexane and acetone) • Large quantities of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released to the atmosphere Committed to Excellence

  5. Background –TSE Processing • Eliminate Incidents • Several incidents have occurred over • the past 5-years, many involving • fatalities • Environmental Benefits • Eliminate hexane, which reduces total • quantity of solvents • Decrease amount of acetone • Incorporate solvent recovery system • Enhance Safety • Reduce operator exposure to hazardous • materials/operations • Minimize transportation of “static • sensitive” intermediate products Committed to Excellence

  6. Background –The Method Raw Material Characterization Inert Simulant Identification Rheological Study Mathematical Modeling Inert Processing Modeling Validation/Update Live Processing Product Analysis Committed to Excellence

  7. TSE Facility • Twin Screw Extruder • 40-mm Baker Perkins • Clam shell design • Double end bearing with side discharge • Loss-in-weight feeders • Solid/Liquid/Viscous • Solvent recovery system • In-line granulator • Product conveyors • Vibratory dryer Committed to Excellence

  8. TSE Facility Upgrades • Kemutec – Cone Mill • Replacement for Prater granulator • Increased functionality • Particle size consistency • Improves safety standards • Autokinetics – Conveyor System • 3 Conveyors with variable speed drive Committed to Excellence

  9. TSE Facility Upgrades • Carrier - Vibratory Dryer • Single/Double pass • Non-contact steam • Product conveyors from bottom of • unit to the top • Drying capability of product with up • to solvent level of 20% by weight • FlexKleen - Dust Collector • Bag house dust collector • Captures residual particles from dryer Committed to Excellence

  10. TSE Facility Upgrades Committed to Excellence

  11. TSE Processing • Inert Processing • Define process conditions • Feed rates • Screw speed • Barrel/Die temperatures • Solvent recovery/vacuum level • Granulation • Mathematical Simulation Model • Verify model with inert processing • Solvent Level • Temperature/pressure readings • Modify screw configuration • Update processing conditions and verify changes Committed to Excellence

  12. TSE Processing • Transition to Live Processing • Conducted 3 live formulations runs to date • Transition successful • Little variation in process conditions • Safely • Product Analysis/Testing • Testing by Picatinny Arsenal Pyrotechnic Division • Pressed and finished flare grains • Tested for ignition time, burn time and IR intensity spectrum • Side by side comparison of batch and TSE manufactured material • Both met the performance requirements of military specification • Batch • More statistically variant • Intensity levels higher than TSE • Twin Screw Extruder • Statistically consistent values of intensity and ignition times • Longer burn time than batch • Slower rise times than batch • Inconsistencies attributed to particle size of composition prior to pressing Committed to Excellence

  13. Continuing Efforts • Live Processing • Manufacture 75-pounds of M206 flare composition for pressing • Product testing • Test composition at Picatinny Arsenal to assure product quality • Verify particle size distribution of composition attributed to inconsistencies observed between batch and TSE processing • Product Finishing • Ship granulated material to Kilgore Flare Company for pressing and finishing • Kilgore Flare Company conducts onsite performance testing • Flight Performance Testing • Finished grains shipped to US Air Force at Point Magu for flight testing Committed to Excellence

  14. Acknowledgements • Stevens Institute of Technology • Highly Filled Materials Institute • Material characterization • Rheology • Mathematical modeling Technical Consultants, Inc. (TCI) • TSE processing expertise Kilgore Flares Company • Press and finish grains • TACOM-ARDEC, Picatinny Arsenal • R&D and testing • Pilot scale processing U.S. Army ManTech Manager • Army Funding U.S. Air Force at Point Magu • Flight testing U.S. Air Force at Wright Patterson AFB • Leveraged ManTech Funding Committed to Excellence

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