A RESEARCH STUDY TO ADVANCE THE STATE-OF-THE-ART OF SOLID PROPELLANT GRAIN DESIGN

Abstract

An analytical study was undertaken to develop a two-dimensional heat transfer analysis for solid propellant motors subjected to a nonlinear circumferentially variant and time dependent, external thermal environment, including convection, radiation, or known heat flux, or any combination of these. Finite difference equations representing the irregular external boundary condition, the temperature of the case, the case-propellant interface, the propellant interior points, and the heat flow across the irregular internal boundary were developed. A study was performed to evaluate the apparent approaches to solid propellant grain design through digital techniques and then to implement the best approach into a FORTRAN language computer program. The Elkton-Moore Method, a vectorial approach to the geometrical portion of the problem, was conceived and developed. Four propellants, including two hydrocarbons, one polyurethane, and a polyvinyl plastisol type, were subjected to tensile strains ranging from 0 to 12% and burned in the strained condition in a strand burner at pressures ranging from 500 to 1500 psi. A study was undertaken to find a method by which the effects of internal pressurization thermal shrinkage, and axial acceleration loads upon propellant structural stability could be determined.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 15, 1963
Accession Number
AD0420826

Entities

People

  • A. Stornelli
  • D. D. Thomas
  • D. H. Frederick
  • D. Saylak
  • F E. Moore
  • R. H. Thompson
  • W. G. Andrews

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Burning Rate
  • Computer Programs
  • Difference Equations
  • Differential Equations
  • Geography
  • Geometry
  • Heat Transfer
  • Jet Propulsion
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Materials Science
  • Mechanics
  • Modulus Of Elasticity
  • Propellant Grains
  • Rocket Propellant Grains
  • Solid Propellants
  • Two Dimensional

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Fluid Dynamics.
  • Mechanical Engineering/Mechanics of Materials.
  • Rocket Propulsion.