CAPILLARY PLASMA GENERATOR AS THE NEW METHOD OF PROPELLANTS IGNITION IN CLOSSED VESSEL TEST.

Contemporary development of new types of ammunition is focused to improve the energetic characteristics, chemical stability and operational safety of propellants. Response to this requests are low vulnerability (LOVA) propellants. Therefore in Laboratory of Ballistics (Military University of Technology in Warsaw) began to develop a new method of low vulnerability propellants ignition and investigation - a new closed vessel equipped with the capillary plasma generator (CPG). Previous published results of closed vessel investigations indicated that classical primers (electric or percussion with black powder bedding) when used with LOVA propellants causes unstable burning, deflagration or even lack of ignition. Plasma generators, which create higher energy flux, temperature and make possible to control combustion process are possible solution of this problem. In CPG systems plasma generation is obtained by discharge of high power capacitors through low diameter conductors in polyethylene coating (mainly cooper, aluminium and tungsten wires), causing them to explode, generating metallic vapour which still conducts current. After wire explosion plasma causes burning of polyethylene, giving additional energy to plasma cloud. Plasma is vented to vessel causing high energy and heat flux through radiation and metallic vapour condensation. CPG is one of the most reliable ignition sources which make possible a reduction of temperature gradient effect and control combustion process. Comparable test of black powder and plasma ignition in closed vessel with conventional propellant were done. This paper (presented as a poster form) is mainly devoted to initial testing of free air plasma jet and black powder ignition comparable investigation but initial results of laboratory closed vessel tests are shown too. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]