An Experimental Study of the Pressure Distribution in Burning Flaws in Solid Propellant Grains

Abstract

Cracks or flaws in solid propellant grains have been responsible for the failure of many rocket motors and there has been much concern in the solid propellant rocket industry as to the extent that flaws could contribute to catastrophic failure. The study was conducted to determine experimentally what the pressure distribution in a solid propellant debond would be after the burning had propagated into it. The bulk of the work was experimental with the results being compared to a computer solution for flow in a variable area duct with mass addition. Results are given for three separate debond angles at several different chamber pressures. With a knowledge of what the pressure distribution will be within a burning flaw, predictions can be made as to the probability of a flaw or crack contributing to catastrophic failure.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 01, 1972
Accession Number
AD0756912

Entities

People

  • Dean B. Tuft
  • Harold R. Jacobs
  • Max L. Williams

Organizations

  • University of Utah

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Boundary Layer
  • Burning Rate
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Combustion
  • Ignition
  • Measurement
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Mechanical Properties
  • Pressure Distribution
  • Pressure Measurement
  • Propellant Grains
  • Propellants
  • Rocket Engines
  • Rocket Propulsion
  • Solid Propellants
  • Specific Heat
  • Steady Flow

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Combustion and Flow Dynamics.
  • Combustion science or combustion engineering.
  • Materials Science (Mechanical Engineering).