Electrothermal-Chemical (ETC) Propulsion with High Loading Density Charges.

Abstract

This report investigates and quantifies the requirements for increasing performance (muzzle kinetic energy) in existing high performance (tank) gun systems utilizing solid propellants. Factors studied include propelling charge mass or loading density, propellant specific energy, grain geometry, and the use of electrothermal-chemical concepts. Results indicate that significant increases in performance require not only increased system energy but, more importantly, propellant combustion control in terms of the mass generation rate to operate near "ideal" gun performance. Specific requirements and approaches (e.g., propellant burn rate modification by plasma radiative heating) to obtain the "ideal" gun performance are discussed. Pertinent experimental results are also included.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 1995
Accession Number
ADA299701

Entities

People

  • Arpad A. Juhasz
  • Irvin C. Stobie
  • Kevin J. White
  • Kevin Nekula
  • William F. Oberle

Organizations

  • United States Army Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Absorption Coefficients
  • Ball Powder Propellants
  • Burning Rate
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Combustion
  • Combustion Products
  • Electric Power
  • Energy
  • Geometry
  • Ignition
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Materials Science
  • Military Research
  • Projectiles
  • Propellants
  • Propelling Charges
  • Solid Propellants

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Combustion science or combustion engineering.
  • Systems Analysis and Design
  • ballistics.