Pyrotechnic yellow smoke compositions based on solvent yellow 33

Abstract

A yellow smoke composition useful in hand held signals, such as the U.S. Army M194 yellow smoke parachute signal; which composition contains the nontoxic, environmentally safe, quinoline solvent yellow 33 color agent and critically exhibits the requisite dense yellow smoke for the requisite 9 to 18 second burn time upon use. Further, this inventive yellow smoke composition can be used in current metal tubes and in other media, such as biodegradable cardboard tubes.

1 . A HHS yellow smoke composition having a burn time of about 15 seconds, comprising:
 1. a mixture of about 34.5 weight percent of an oxidizer, wherein the oxidizer is potassium chlorate;   2. about 21.5 to about 22.0 weight percent of a fuel, wherein the fuel is sucrose;   3. about 36 to about 37 weight percent of quinoline yellow ss;   4. about 5.5 weight percent of a coolant, wherein the coolant is hydromagnesite;   5. about 0 to about 1.0 weight percent of a lubricant, wherein the lubricant is stearic acid;   6. about 0 to about 1.0 weight percent of a binder, wherein the binder is polyvinyl alcohol;   7. wherein, when the mixture is compressed into a smoke pellet.   
     
     
         2 . The HHS yellow smoke composition of  claim 1 , wherein
 1. the oxidizer is potassium chlorate;   2. the fuel is sucrose;   3. the coolant is hydromagnesite;   4. the lubricant is stearic acid; and   5. the binder is polyvinyl alcohol.   
     
     
         3 . The HHS yellow smoke composition of  claim 2 , wherein the binder is nitrocellulose. 
     
     
         4 . The HHS yellow smoke composition of  claim 1 , wherein the mixture is compressed at from about 4,000 to about 12,000 pound dead load, for a period of about 4 seconds, to form the smoke pellet. 
     
     
         5 . The HHS yellow smoke composition of  claim 1 , wherein about 0 to about 0.5 weight percent of an anticaking agent is included in the mixture and an equal quantity of the fuel is removed. 
     
     
         6 . The HHS yellow smoke composition of  claim 6 , wherein the anticaking agent is hydrophobic fumed silica. 
     
     
         7 . The HHS yellow smoke composition of  claim 4 , wherein the composition is compressed inside of a biodegradable cardboard tube.