Estimation of Temperature and Other Properties in Pyrotechnic Reactions Using Pressure Measurments and Application of Thermodynamic Equilibrium Code

The violent environment created when a NASA standard initiator (NSI) combusts within the confinement inside a pyrovalve is difficult to characterize using experimental measurement techniques. A chemical equilibrium code, knowledge of zirconium potassium perchlorate (ZPP) reactants, physical volume, and time-dependent pressure measurements were used to estimate other state parameters for the reaction. Computed values for reactant temperature versus time, species, enthalpy, and internal energy were determined.