ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECT OF PROPELLANT TEMPERATURE ON INTERIOR BALLISTICS PROBLEM

Year 2018, , 2127 - 2136, 10.04.2018

Celal Evci

https://doi.org/10.18186/journal-of-thermal-engineering.433738

Cited By: 4

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of conditioning
temperature of double base propellants on the interior ballistic parameters
such as burning gas temperature, barrel wall temperature, pressure and stresses
generated in the barrel. Interior ballistic problem was solved employing
experimental, numerical and analytical methods with a thermo-mechanical
approach. Double base propellants were conditioned at different temperatures
(52, 35, 21, 0, -20, -35, -54ºC). The maximum pressure in the barrel and
projectile muzzle velocity were measured for all the propellants by conducting
shooting tests with a special test barrel using 7.62x51 mm NATO ammunition.
Vallier-Heydenreich method was employed to determine the transient pressure
distribution along the barrel. The temperature of burnt gases was calculated by
using Noble-Abel equation. The heat transfer analysis was done using the
commercial software ANSYS to get the transient temperature and stress
distributions. Temperature distribution through the barrel wall thickness was
validated using a FLIR thermal imager. Radial, circumferential and axial
stresses and corresponding equivalent Von Misses stresses were determined
numerically and analytically.  The results of the analytical solution for
stress analysis validated the finite element solution of interior ballistic
problem. Increasing the initial temperature of the propellant resulted in
higher temperature and pressure inside the barrel which in turn increased the
stresses in the barrel.

Keywords

Interior Ballistics, Heat Transfer, Stress Analysis, Experimental Verification

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