A Study of the Propulsion Performance From Plasticized Explosives

Abstract

A theoretical study was made to determine the performance of a detonation propulsion system using plasticized explosives. Steady-state and shock-hydrodynamic calculations were completed for free-expansion detonations, where the explosive gases are free to expand from the vehicle mass after impacting the vehicle, confined detonations, where recoil mass is used to constrain the expansion, and totally confined detonations, where the momentum transfer to the vehicle mass and the conversion of detonation energy into vehicle kinetic energy are maximized. The effects upon propulsion performance of separating explosive charges from the vehicle mass, giving the explosive charge an initial velocity, and stacking explosive charges between solid materials, were also studied.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 1972
Accession Number
AD0748843

Entities

People

  • J. R. Nunn
  • R. F. Bestgen

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter IED
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Computer Programs
  • Computers
  • Conversion
  • Detonations
  • Energy
  • Energy Transfer
  • Engineering
  • Equations
  • Explosive Charges
  • Explosive Gases
  • Explosives
  • Kinetic Energy
  • Momentum Transfer
  • Physics
  • Propulsion Systems
  • Rocket Propulsion

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Combustion and Flow Dynamics.
  • Explosive Engineering.
  • Rocket Propulsion.