Comparison of Predicted Muzzle Flash for Solid and Regenerative Liquid Propellant Guns.
Abstract
Muzzle flash and the associated blast can be a significant problem from the standpoints of both the charge designer and the user on the battlefield. Computer models which describe the muzzle flow of a gun in sufficient detail to provide good predictions of muzzle flash probability have been developed and applied to the case of solid propellant guns. Now these models have been applied to the case of the muzzle flash with that of a conventional solid propellant gun. In the case of the conventional guns, the solid propellant is fuel rich such that the muzzle exhaust gases generally contain a high percentage (30-60%) of combustible species. The fuel rich exhaust gases are mixed with air in the muzzle flow region, shock heated and, if the gas temperature is sufficiently high, ignited, producing 'flash' and the associated secondary blast. Muzzle flash calculations for the 155-mm solid propellant gun using M30A1 propellant predict a temperature increase of 1187 K in the turbulent afterburning region of the muzzle plume, thus indicating a strong tendency to flash. Calculations for a 155-mm regenerative liquid propellant gun (RLPG) using a stoichiometric, hydroxyl ammonium nitrate (HAN) based liquid propellant, LGP 1845, predict a temperature increase of only 94 K, indicating no tendency to flash. However, calculations using an non-stoichiometric, HAN-based liquid propellant formulation predicted a temperature rise of 633 K, which indicates some tendency to flash. However, calculations using an non-stoichiometric, HAN- based liquid propellant formulation predicted a temperature rise of 633 K, which indicates some tendency to flash.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1987
- Accession Number
- ADA187174
Entities
People
- Ingo W. May
- Paul G. Baer
- Walter F. Morrison
Organizations
- Ballistic Research Laboratory