The hell is a phlegmatizer?

[DJPork]

I was just happily flicking through the articles of pyroguide.com looking for a new project to take on when I stumbled upon a cool looking new propellant I have the materials to cook up (believe me, it's a rare occurence when this actually happens).

 

So yeah.. Just outta interest I was wondering if anybody could tell me what it is? Dictionary/wikipedia.com yielded no success, google was pretty much the same.

 

It's all UGC, so in theory somebody could just be talking out their ass, so...

 

The spherical aluminium is not for effect, but it rather a phlegmatizer. It does produce an interesting tail effect, which is probably a glitter related reaction despite the fairly low sulfur content.

 

Pyroguide Article

 

The KNO3/Charcoal/S should be done (milled... Well, tumbled) right about now, so I'ma gonna go throw in the Al.

 

Cheers.

[mormanman]

I think its a made up word to create a noun for the word phlegmatic witch means not easily excited to action or display of emotion; apathetic; sluggish.

[psyco_1322]

Stearic Acid

 

(N-octadecanoic acid) [C18H36O2] White powder

 

Used as a phlegmatizing agent, a low reactivity (accessory) fuel, sometimes in blue star compositions.

 

 

This is off skylighters site, Ive been also wanting to know what the heck that means. I figured it was to make it more drossy and slow it down.

[rocket]

According to wikipedia phlegmatizing is where something is added to a comp to stabilize or desensitize it. Also it can be used to slow burn rate down.

[DJPork]

The article implies adding al speeds up the comp... Aw well.

[deadman]

As far as I know to phlegmatise is synonymous to stablize. I've only seen the word in relation to HE. Mainly water or alcohol is used. Sometimes a sort of commercial plasticizer is mentioned.

 

In this case it does sound like the writer is contradicting himself saying it phlegmatizes (basically fireblocking) the mix, but also causes it to burn hotter.

 

When you actually think about it though. 325 atomized Al isn't all too easy to ignite compare to BP. So it may be considered a desensitizer. And the metal obviously burns hot.

[oldguy]

Phlegmatizer is a substance which reduces the sensitivity of an explosive or pyrotecnic composition, e.g: paraffin, paraffin oil, waxes, stearic acid, stearates, polyvinyl acetate, dinitrotoluene, etc.

[dagabu]

Phlegmatizer is a substance which reduces the sensitivity of an explosive or pyrotecnic composition, e.g: paraffin, paraffin oil, waxes, stearic acid, stearates, polyvinyl acetate, dinitrotoluene, etc.

 

Phlegm, mucus, snot, all the same to me and their effect is about the same in whistle fuel. It helps bind the fuel together, it cracks less and takes less loading pressure to make a hard grain and desensitizes the mix so that pulling the spindle out of a finished rocket doesn't cause an explosion.

 

I use Mineral oil in whistle mix and others use Vaseline. In other comps, I have no knowledge.

 

-dag

[Arthur]

Can also mean a viscous "solvent" that actually doesn't dissolve but does help the components to bind together and also lubricate the granules while pressing.

 

cf egg white as used in cookery (FOOD!)

 

also cf lots of phthalate esters which can be very viscous liquids eg di-octyl phhthalate (there are many others too).

[Peret]

Probably an inappropriate use of the word in that article, but yes, it slows the fuel down. I'm very fond of one just like it that I call silvertail -

 

KNO3 60

Charcoal 22

Sulfur 10

Aluminum (coarse flitters) 8

 

The aluminum is coarse flake about 20-30 mesh. Ball mill the first three ingredients well, then add the aluminum. Spherical aluminum may also work, I haven't tried it.