Flamespreading Measurements and Mechanisms in Perforated LOVA Gun Propellants

Abstract

Flamespreading rates in simple linear arrays of individual grains have been measured for two lots of LOVA gun propellant. Differences were sought which might explain the pressure behavior exhibited in ballistic tests. Although no significant differences were found, an abrupt pressure threshold for rapid flamespreading involving convective burning in the perforations was found. Further experiments with parallel solid strands separated by a variable gap width revealed a second mode for rapid flamespreading. Both modes are likely to be important during the ignition transient in guns and may present opportunities for control over ignition delays and reliability through grain geometry design. Keywords: Flamespreading, LOVA propellant, Burning rates, Solid propellants.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 1989
Accession Number
ADA207728

Entities

People

  • Martin S. Miller

Organizations

  • Ballistic Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Burning Rate
  • Chemistry
  • Closed Bomb Tests
  • Combustion
  • Diameters
  • Engineering
  • Geometry
  • Gun Propellants
  • High Pressure
  • Ignition Lag
  • Jet Propulsion
  • Linear Arrays
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Military Research
  • Propellants
  • Reliability

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science / Meteorology, specifically Wind Wave Turbulence.
  • Rocket Propulsion.