A Continuous Oxidizer Regression Model for the Combustion of Composite Solid Propellants.
Abstract
Over the past several decades, there has been a considerable effort to model the process occurring during the combustion of composite solid propellents. Accurate models able to predict the burning rate characteristics of solid propellents would be very valuable, as they would facilitate the design of solid rocket fuels by reducing the need for laboratory testing of different solid mixtures until a mixture with the right ballistic properties is found. Using a reliable analytical model, a propellent designer could, in theory, simply input key properties of a possible propellent formulation into the model, and the model would provide an accurate prediction of what the burning rate characteristics for the mixture would be. Earlier attempts at modeling the steady-state burning of composite solid propellents are reviewed, with an emphasis placed on the Beckstead, Derr, and Price (BDP) and Petite Ensemble Model (PEM). The Continuous Oxidizer Regression (COR) model is then described, which is a modification to the PEM model. The COR model's predictions for burning rate and pressure exponent are then compared to those of an actual solid composite propellent. The model predicts the general trends found in actual experimental data, but the model's output is found to be highly sensitive to the assumptions regarding surface geometry and flame formation, which are as yet not clearly known.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1986
- Accession Number
- ADA186742
Entities
People
- Joseph J. Cor
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology