Temperature Sensitivity of Aircraft Cannon Propellants
Abstract
The temperature sensitivity of a number of double-base ball and rolled ball, extruded double base, triple base, nitramine and some highly plasticized extruded aircraft cannon propellants have been evaluated in the 20- mm, 27-mm, and 30-mm guns. The 20-mm ball and rolled ball propellants, the 30-mm rolled ball propellants, the triple base and nitramine 30-mm propellants and the 27-mm propellant all show evidence of anomalously low piezometric efficiencies at low temperatures which can be attributed to brittle grain fracture. At higher temperatures, the rolled ball propellants show evidence of unusually high piezometric efficiencies and, in particular, show a pronounced ballistic insensitivity to temperature effects. Such insensitivity results from severe low temperature brittle grain structure with a lesser and diminishing degree of fracture at ambient temperature and above, until lesser and diminishing degree of fracture at ambient temperature and above, until at high temperature the increased plasticity of the propellant material resists grain fracture. Another mechanism which can induce anomalously low and high piezometric efficiencies at high temperatures involves a physical softening of the propellant material. This mechanism can be expected to give anomalous high temperature ballistics for highly plasticized gun propellants.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1982
- Accession Number
- ADA123291
Entities
People
- Clifford W. Fong