Design Optimization for a High Performance Regenerative Liquid Propellant Gun
Abstract
The regenerative liquid propellant gun (RLPG) concept offers a possible replacement for solid propellant (SP) cannons on future battle tanks. The current 120-mm gun using JA2 granular propellant develops a maximum pressure of 519 MPa and accelerates a 7.12 kg projectile to 1670 m/s in a projectile travel of 4.75 m. The advantages of the RLPG relative to the equivalent SP gun are: (1) more ammunition storage aboard the tank; (2) mechanical control of injection which results in a flat-topped pressure-time curve and thus a higher muzzle velocity for a given maximum pressure; and (3) no secondary muzzle flash. The disadvantages include greater mechanical complexity and higher maximum breech pressures (in the liquid reservoir) than in the SP case. Simulation studies have been made of a high performance 120-mm RLPG tank cannon. The ground rules used in the study are: (1) maximum projectile travel of 6.3 m; (2) maximum liquid pressure of 700 MPa; (3) maximum combustion pressure of about 500 MPa; and (4) constant injection area. Three liquid propellants were considered; hydroxyl ammonium nitrate (HAN) propellants LGP1845 and LGP1846; and a hypothetical 'liquid' JA2 propellant. The in-bore projectile mass was varied from 5 to 13 kg. The results show that a high performance RLPG tank gun provides a muzzle velocity equivalent to that of a comparable SP gun. Keywords: Liquid monopropellant, Regenerative gun, Lumped parameter model.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 08, 1987
- Accession Number
- ADA192664
Entities
People
- Paul G. Baer
- Terence P. Coffee
- Walter F. Morrison
Organizations
- Ballistic Research Laboratory