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To clarify the combustion process of a modular charge system with a primer gap, the rules governing the cartridge movement and pressure change in the chamber are analyzed. Based on the characteristics of the modular charge system, an axisymmetric two-phase flow model of the interior ballistics is established, with the monotonic upward-centered scheme for conservation laws adopted to calculate the combustion process. Compared with the experimental results, the difference in the peak pressure is less than 5%, which indicates that the mathematical model and scheme are reliable and accurate. The results show that, during the initial stage of ignition, the combustible container remains unbroken, and the gas and solid particles are prevented from spreading to the chamber by the end cap of the cartridge. Thus, only the gas inside the igniter tube influences the flow field in the chamber. After the combustible container has broken, the gas and solid particles move rapidly toward the cavity from the combustible container. The axial movement of solid particles is more intense than that of the gas particles, but the radial movement of solid particles is relatively weak. Furthermore, the existence of the primer gap leads to a delay in the ignition time of the solid particles, which delays the rupture time of the igniter tube and the module cartridge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-phase flow numerical methods are applied in internal ballistics widely, which has made higher fidelity analysis with minimal cost become an urgent demand. Current methods are based on independent dimension, and there is no definite conversion criterion and data transmission method, which have limited the application of efficient hybrid models applied to calculation. In this paper, we propose a hybrid method by linking a two dimensional (2D) model to a one dimensional (1D) model for two-phase flow. First, 1D and 2D two-phase flow models are established according to the flow field states in different phases. Next, the criterion of conversion between the two models is established, which is a quantitative index to judge the degree of radial effect and axial effect. Finally, dimension transformation in the radial direction and grid mergence in the axial direction are conducted to complete the whole computing model. The simulation results show that the hybrid method is more efficient in the interior ballistic process and maintains the level of trust in classical codes. Compared with the 2D method, the hybrid method significantly improves the computational efficiency by 86.5%. By analyzing the state in the chamber, the accuracy of the conversion criterion is confirmed. This criterion can be used as the transformation criterion of the hybrid model to form the standard multi-dimensional calculation transformation criterion of interior ballistics and may be promising for the rapid simulation of two-phase flow in interior ballistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An excellent flame suppression effect can be achieved using a novel porous brake. To understand the flame-suppression mechanism of a porous brake, combustion using a muzzle brake is investigated. A set of internal ballistic equations is employed to provide accurate velocity and pressure for a projectile moving to the muzzle. The multispecies transport Navier–Stokes equations, which incorporate complex chemical reactions, are solved by coupling a real gas equation of state, the Soave–Redlich–Kwong model, and a detailed chemical reaction kinetic model. The development of muzzle flow with a chemical reaction is simulated, and the interaction between chemical reactions with the muzzle flow field is numerically calculated to explain the muzzle combustion mechanism with a porous brake. The underlying mechanism is analyzed in detail. The results demonstrate that, first, the gas is fully expanded in the brake, leading to a reduction in pressure and temperature at the muzzle, thereby reducing the initial flame. In addition, the shock wave weakens due to the expansion and separation process, leading to a reduction in the mixture of gas and air, ultimately resulting in a reduction in the intermediate and secondary flames. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Noble–Abel (NA) equation of state (EOS) is widely used in the interior ballistics of guns as well as rocket propulsion computations. Its simplicity and accuracy are key points for intensive computations with hyperbolic two-phase flow models considered in interior ballistics codes. An alternative formulation is examined in the present contribution through a first-order virial (VO1) equation of state. Appropriate methods for the determination of related parameters, such as specific gas constant, co-volume, and condensed material energy, for both formulations (NA and VO1) are presented. For this, a combination of closed bomb vessel experiments and thermochemical code computations is needed. An extended VO1 EOS with temperature-dependent specific heat is examined. Then, its extension to multiple reactive materials is addressed. Examples are examined for each formulation (NA and VO1) and comparisons are done with the Becker–Kistiakowsky–Wilson (BKW) EOS as reference. Several conclusions have emerged. First, a consideration of the specific heat temperature dependance in computations of the interior ballistics of guns appeared insignificant. Second, VO1 appeared to be more accurate than NA, particularly when gas density is beyond the range used for EOS parameter determination. Last, regarding mixtures of condensed reactive materials, producing burnt gas mixtures, NA again appeared to be less accurate than VO1. However, its formulation is explicit, while VO1 requires numerical solving of a non-linear equation, with consequences on computational cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work explores the use of surface-mesh flow solvers to model solid rocket internal ballistics with arbitrary grain geometry. Specifically, a surface-vorticity approach, originally intended for external flow applications, is adapted for internal flow analysis using boundary conditions that are suitable for solid rocket motors. In this study, an enhanced panel code is shown to be capable of resolving internal rocket flowfields with a striking level of fidelity and with such a degree of computational efficiency to make it valuable in the conceptual and preliminary design of rocket motors. In this process, the vortex paneling approach embodied within FlightStream® is refined using boundary conditions appropriate for solid rocket rotational flows. The simulation results are then compared to existing analytical solutions for cylindrical and planar chamber configurations exhibiting small taper angles and uniform headwall injection. For a more realistic validation case, the space shuttle's reusable solid rocket motor (RSRM) is examined. Guided by the analytical models, simple rotational and compressibility corrections are incorporated into the solver, and the results are subsequently compared to two other computational models and experimental measurements gathered from qualification motors. For the basic configurations, our results are shown to agree well with theoretical predictions. For the RSRM case, the corrected solution agrees well with the validation data in the first half of the motor; however, it becomes less robust in the aft region unless a recirculation zone boundary patch is applied; the latter approximates the added vorticity introduced by intersegmental gaps and the submerged nozzle effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]