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KN03 getting wet


insutama

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So i bought a 50lb bag of KN03 and i have been reading that it absorbs water. Im just wondering if it can go bad if its not stored right. also what about black powder does that also absorb water like KN03 after all its 75% kn03. If i were to say make a bunch of KN03 sugar engines and leave them out would they go bad and not work ? or say if i made a shell with a FP report made with KN03 would it absorb water if it was stored for long periods of times like 6 months + and not perform as well as when it was made? right now i filled ziplock back with silica gell and poked a bunch of holes in bag with a needle then threw that in the big back of KN03 will this keep it dry ?

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First, before Mumbles yells at you, its KNO3... all caps and not a 0. :P It really doesn't absorb that much water. The charcoal in BP is actually more hygroscopic than the KNO3. As far as shelf-life, most things should keep for years if properly stored. You have the right idea though; if you are concerned about moisture, seal it up with a desiccant.

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ya i know its not a zero its a o as in oxygen lol. okay so i shouldnt have to worry about it going bad awsome thanks

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ya i know its not a zero its a o as in oxygen lol. okay so i shouldnt have to worry about it going bad awsome thanks

 

Yes, BUT...

 

The KNO3 and sugar mixture is highly likely to absorb moisture from the atmosphere and make a puddle. Sealing in a moisture proof container with dessicant packs will help to put off the inevitable, but for only so long. With those types of mixtures, it's highly recommended to make them just before use (to avoid moisture problems).

 

WSM B)

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Navies of the world used to have hold full of BP before 1900 and there's nothing like a ship for being damp, but their BP usually worked! However they did occasionally spread a barrel full out in the sun to dry, so you could do that on a smaller scale. (A powder barrel held 50 pounds I think).
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Get a 5 gallon bucket or two and store the KNO3 in them, get a Gamma Lid for easy access.

 

I would just dry the KNO3 right before making BP and forget about it, you can't spoil it.

 

R-Candy is the the recrystallized method for making sugar/KNO3 propellant and just like hard candy, it becomes sticky and in high humidity and or heat, it melts just like WSM said. After making your sugar rockets/grains, keep them cool and dry.

 

The reason BP on board a naval vessel stayed mostly dry was the container. I have a neat little 5L oak barrel (empty of course) sitting right here by me, they swell up nicely when exposed to water/humidity and make a very good seal from the outside world. Even when dropped into the ocean, the barrels would keep the BP dry enough to use if left in contact with water for several days. And, if the cooper was skilled at hot tar lining, the cask/barrel would stay water tight indefinitely even in water (until it rotted).

 

Thank you US NAVY for that bit of trivia...

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Which nitrate formula, are you going to use for your reports ?
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Mine doesn't get very wet even in our high Florida humidity. I just roll the bag down and if I'm not going to be using it for a while and the bag is empty enough I might throw it in a 5 gal bucket with lid. But I don't find it very hygroscopic or a problem.

 

For other things I just take a cardboard box and cut a hole for a cheap ceramic heater to sit in. Them place the individual chemical in a pan and let it dry. Just the fan is enough for some things and stirring a couple times helps.

 

This it's basically a drying box but can be put together in just a minute. But if you have a place to store it you may just want to make a real drying box. If you ever decide to put stars or BP in it to dry, place it far away from anything so if it were to ignite it won't hurt anything. A ceramic heater should be fairly safe but anything electric can fail and throw out sparks.

 

Edit: an old sock is a pretty good thing to put your silica gel in. As long as it's not a hole-y one. Then just tie the end closed. Can also make a pouch out of a coffee filter and staple them shut. Ebay also sells different size draw string bags that are cheap.

Edited by FlaMtnBkr
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i filled a sock most the way up with a silica product and put it in the big container i keep all my chems in so that should help with keeping moisture out :)

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...and put it in the big container i keep all my chems in...

That sounds very stupid and dangerous :blink:

Keep your oxidizers seperated from the fuels. And keep everything away from everything that it may react with.

The "real pros" keeps their chemicals miles apart.

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  • 3 years later...

May I suggest to crush the KNO3 to desired mesh size and heat it up a little with an induction oven? Take a deep bowl add small amount of it and continously soute it with attention. Bring it to normal temparature and then use it only.

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