TACOM Tank-automotive & Armaments COMmand JOCG Continuous Mixer and Extruder User’s Group Conference 29-31 October, 2002 Processing M206 Infrared Decoy.

TTank-automotive & AArmaments COMCOMmand

LeadershipTeaming

CommunicationEmployee Support

Strategic ThinkingOrganizational Climate

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JOCG Continuous Mixer and Extruder User’s Group Conference29-31 October, 2002

Processing M206 Infrared Decoy Flare Composition Through a Twin Screw Mixer/Extruder

Timothy E. DawagWarheads, Energetics and Combat-support Center

Armament Systems Process Division

US Army TACOM-ARDECPicatinny Arsenal, New Jersey 07806-5000

Committed to Excellence

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LeadershipTeaming



Outline

Program Objectives

Background

The Method

Twin Screw Extruder Facility

Continuing Efforts

Acknowledgements


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LeadershipTeaming



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


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LeadershipTeaming



Background –M206 Decoy Flare

Environmental Concerns– Large amounts of organic solvents utilized (hexane and acetone)– Large quantities of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released to the atmosphere

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


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LeadershipTeaming



Background –TSE Processing

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

Eliminate Incidents– Several incidents have occurred over the past 5-years, many involving fatalities


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Background –The Method

Raw Material Characterization

Inert Simulant Identification

Rheological Study

Mathematical Modeling

Inert Processing

Modeling Validation/Update

Live Processing

Product Analysis


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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 systemIn-line granulatorProduct conveyorsVibratory dryer


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LeadershipTeaming



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


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LeadershipTeaming




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


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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


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LeadershipTeaming



TSE ProcessingTransition 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


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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


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LeadershipTeaming



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

TACOM Tank-automotive & Armaments COMmand JOCG Continuous Mixer and Extruder User’s Group Conference 29-31 October, 2002 Processing M206 Infrared Decoy.

Documents

changes slide

excellence program objectives

flight testing slide

variable speed drive

solvent vapors

drying capability of

large walkin ovens

hazardous materialsoperations