Further Investigation of Flow Modeling during Solid Propellant Processing
Abstract
A two-fluid model is employed to investigate the velocity and volume fraction distributions during the solid propellant casting process. Two important dimensionless parameters, the dimensionless interfacial momentum transfer coefficient D, and the viscosity ratio of the two fluids Z, are identified and varied parametrically in the numerical calculations. The results show that when D is small (<0.05), separation between the particles and binder occurred and the smaller the D, the larger the degree of separation. When D is large (>1), separation did not occur since the two fluids move like a single fluid when interfacial momentum transfer is dominating. Near the transition point between separation and no separation (D approx. = 1), an M-shaped profile was observed for the particle volume fraction distribution in an annular duct. The degree of separation is very small and the reason for the existence of such an M-shaped profile is not clearly understood. It is pointed out that a viscosity model recently proposed by Probstein and Sengun may be relevant to the solid propellant system. It is suggested that the next logical step is to incorporate the non-Newtonian behavior of the binder (and the fine particles) into the two-fluid model.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA209787
Entities
People
- H. M. Domanus
- S. L. Soo
- W. T. Sha
- Y. S. Cha
Organizations
- Argonne National Laboratory