BORON / POTASSIUM NITRATE PELLETS AND GRANULES UN 0477
Pyrotechnic Specialties, Inc. (PSI) manufactures Boron/Potassium Nitrate (BKNO3) in granular and pellet form. The bulk of the BKNO3 is made to specification MIL-P-46994B. However, PSI manufactures BKNO3 to the following specifications as well: WS 14712, WS 17360, MIS-38038B, OS 9765, WS 1373A, MIS-23078B, MIS 21563A, MIL-I81266, MIS 38045A, and various other customer specifications.
The mix department manufactures BKNO3 daily at PSI. We have minimum production capacities in excess of 100 pounds per day on a one (1) shift basis. We process the material to various sieve fractions. The most common cuts are 20/40, 20/50 and 50/100.
PSI also makes BKNO3 without binder. This material is commonly referred to as 2C granules. We currently manufacture this material in a variety of customer specified sieve cuts.
Our pellet department has the capability to perform prototype work, small and large production orders. We have several single station presses for prototype and small production orders. We also have sixteen, twenty-three and forty-five station single and double sided presses for small and large production runs. Our daily capacity ranges from 1 pound of pellets to production quantities as large as 90 pounds per day.
The following table provides a brief description of some of the pellets we are currently tooled to produce at PSI:
| Specification | Typ | Geometry | DIA. | HT. | WT. | OLD FN TYPE |
| MIL-P-46994 | IA | Cylindrical | .125±.002 | .188±.004 | .067 gm min | 2A |
| MIL-P-46994 | IB | Cylindrical | .125±.002 | .100±.005 | .031 gm min | 2M |
| MIL-P-46994 | IIA | Bi-convex | .125±.002 | .100±.005 | .031 gm min | 2R |
| MIL-P-46994 | IIB | Bi-convex | .250±.003 | .130±.005 | .140 gm min | 2D |
| MIL-P-46994 | IIC | Bi-convex | .250±.003 | .250±.005 | .305 gm min | 2E |
| MIL-P-46994 | IID | Bi-convex | .500±.003 | .250±.005 | 1.065 gm min | 2L |
| MIS-21563A | III | Cylindrical | .125±.003 | .050±.005 | .015 gm min | 2T |
| MIS-21563A | IV | Cylindrical | .250±.003 | .130±.005 | .140 gm min | N/A |
PSI utilizes the same tooling to manufacture pellets per MIS-23078B, WS1373A, MIS-23078B, AS 1876, MIS-38045A.
The material is packaged in one pound conductive bags that are overpacked in metal cans with desiccant and an indicator card. Six one pound cans are packaged in a fiberboard box and the voids filled with vermiculite. The fiberboard box is over packed in a wooden box which is nailed and strapped. A fully packed wooden box weighs approximately 45 pounds. The material is shipped via dromedary truck as a Class B (1.3 C) explosive.