Investigation on Utilisation of High Energy Propellant Waste in Manufacturing of Building Materials

Abstract

Solid rocket propellants are extensively used in propulsion systems of missiles and launch vehicles. They offer superior performance and energy level and strain capability compare to conventional propellants. Composite propellants of nearly a few thousand tonnes per annum are manufactured for various missile and space programs in India by various Government agencies. Considering as a conservative evaluation nearly 15% wastage is assumed during production which is nearly 150 tons of propellant waste. The propellant waste includes in process waste, left-out and end-trimmed portion of propellants, rejected and unutilized propellant lots. The amount of life expired propellant in India is estimated to be around 2500 tonnes. A substantial amount of cost and energy is wasted because of unutilized and rejected lots of propellants. As the generation of waste is inevitable and as the mandate for a clean, safe environment grows, the clash of these two conflicts must be dealt with best recycling methodology. Reduction of propellant waste and better waste management will certainly remain a top priority for defence and space agencies. The study is focused on formulating new ways in utilizing and recycling the waste in various systems. newline