A Preliminary Report on Developing an Expert System for Computer-Aided Formulation of Propellants.

Abstract

An expert system is being developed which will automate the propellant formulation design process. The expert system, being developed, uses Insight 2+, an expert system shell operating on an IBM AT-compatible microcomputer. The user is asked to specify requirements (e.g., desired energy, cost, burn rate, specific ingredient preferences) for the basic ingredients (oxidizer, binder, plasticizer,...). Based on these requirements, the individual ingredient databases are screened and those ingredients consistent with the criteria are saved to datafiles. Propellant formulations are then generated from the different possible domcinations of ingredients in the datafiles with rule-based criteria being used to exclude incompatible combinations, etc. Additional modules are being developed which will use rules, simple relationships (equations), or accessible computer programs to predict the properties (cost, sensitivity, mechanical behavior, etc.) of the formulations so generated, and interactively help the user select one or more of the formulations for a specific application. Keywords: Computer programs; Solid rocket propellants. (KR).

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 1988
Accession Number
ADA198088

Entities

People

  • Frederick J. Shaw
  • Robert A. Fifer

Organizations

  • Ballistic Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Chemical Properties
  • Chemistry
  • Combustion
  • Computer Programming
  • Computer Programs
  • Computers
  • Engineering
  • Engineers
  • Heat Of Formation
  • Jet Propulsion
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Military Research
  • Particle Size
  • Personal Computers
  • Word Processors

Fields of Study

  • Engineering
  • Physics

Readers

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Computer Science.
  • Rocket Propulsion.