Ultra High Pressure Optical Chamber for Propellant and Combustion Studies
Abstract
The proposed effort concerns the construction of an optically-accessible ultra-high pressure combustion chamber and strand burner for studying combustion phenomena of advanced energetic materials. The proposed windowed high pressure combustion chamber will have an operational pressure range from 0.03 to 300 MPa and will provide visual observation of the combustion process necessary for understanding the combustion mechanism and the validity of the data. The system will be constructed with modular inserts to allow for co-flow and counter-flow solid propellant strand burning experiments. The modular vessel design will also permit burning rate studies on liquid propellants and premixed gases. Experimentally, the linear burning rate of a solid propellant will be measured directly using high-speed cinematography. In addition to conventional strands, the vessel will have the capability to operate in an opposed flow type configuration. Such configurations allow studies of the transition in burning behavior across the low pressure deflagration limit, by establishing a diffusion flame off of the burning surface, studies on the effects of strain rates, and studies on extinction and ignition. This unique experimental facility will also be used to facilitate the development of new diagnostics for high pressure combustion research, and most importantly allow for direct observation of the combustion processes that can occur at such high pressures. With recent advances in the understanding of both gas-phase and condensed-phase chemistries of energetic materials, the data obtained from this facility will provide the framework for evaluating the predictability of existing and future energetic material combustion properties at extreme conditions. This abstract is publicly releasable.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Sep 11, 2018
- Source ID
- W911NF1610139
Entities
People
- Richard A. Yetter
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- Pennsylvania State University
- United States Army