REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. (Jan. 28, 2015) -- The U.S. government issued a patent to three aviation and missile researchers for developing methods and sensor systems for weaponry health monitoring.
U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center inventors Paul Ruffin, Eugene Edwards, and Christina Brantley, along with Fang (Claire) Luo, a research and development engineer with General Opto Solutions, received U.S. Patent No. 8,842,281 from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
The patent, "System and Method for Detecting the Amount of Stabilizer Degradation in Solid Rocket," is a methodology using a spectrometric system. The system measures the intensity of back scattered, reflected, or transmitted light to determine the amount of stabilizer degradation in solid double-based motor propellant.
Solid propellants are widely used as propellants in missile engines. The burning of the propellants generates a huge thrust so a missile can be quickly launched. Propellants are generally stored in the back of the missile to effectively generate the thrust. During the long storage process of missiles, the stabilizer helps preserve the propellant which significantly slows the chemical degradation and aging process.
"Results from this patent are essential for achieving a non-destructive propellant degradation evaluation capability and improving the safety of aging missiles," said Eugene Edwards, Engineering and Research Scientist. "The patented results can also be used for quality control of propellant production and storage."
Without the stabilizer, the solid rocket propellant lasts for a noticeably shorter time. The patent includes a method of determining an amount of degradation of stabilizer in solid rocket propellant and the method comprising the critical steps necessary to achieve the results.
The AMRDEC technology portfolio includes issued and pending patents. This technology is part of AMRDEC's technology commercialization program, which seeks to stimulate commercial use of AMRDEC-developed technologies.
AMRDEC invites companies to consider using this technology through exclusive, non-exclusive or exclusive field-of-use licensing. Many of the technologies can be found at www.dodtechmatch.com (see Related Links).
For cooperative research and development agreements, known as CRADAs, and/or licensing information, contact the Office of Research and Technology Applications, U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center at (256) 313-0895 or email orta@amrdec.army.mil.
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The Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center is part of the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, which has the mission to develop technology and engineering solutions for America's Soldiers.
RDECOM is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Materiel Command. AMC is the Army's premier provider of materiel readiness -- technology, acquisition support, materiel development, logistics power projection, and sustainment -- to the total force, across the spectrum of joint military operations. If a Soldier shoots it, drives it, flies it, wears it, eats it or communicates with it, AMC provides it.
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Army.mil: Science and Technology News
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