5: Insulation, Liner and Inhibition Systems

For the correct, successful and efficient operation of rockets, as per design considerations, certain non-energetic sub-components are always incorporated. This chapter gives a brief outline of these non-energetic sub-components. The insulator is applied at the inner surface of the rocket to act as a thermal barrier and restricts temperature rises in the rocket motor casing beyond certain critical limits (∼100 °C). These thermal insulation layers may be in the form of a hard sleeve (cartridge-loaded propellants) or elastomeric with very high percentage elongation (case-bonded motor). The liner coating is a thin layer of adhesive cum migration prevention coating applied between the insulator and the propellants in case-bonded rocket motors. The inhibitor is generally applied on the propellant surface to selectively restrict the burning surface of the propellants for required ballistics. This chapter discusses all three inert non-energetic but important sub-components.