COMBUSTION CONTROL REQUIREMENTS IN HIGH LOADING DENSITY, SOLID-PROPELLANT ETC GUN FIRINGS

This report investigates and quantifies the requirements for increasin g performance (muzzle kinetic energy) in existing high performance (ta nk) gun systems utilizing solid propellants. Factors studied include p ropelling charge mass or loading density, propellant specific energy, grain geometry, and the use of electrothermal-chemical concepts. Resul ts 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., burn rate mo dification by plasma interaction) to obtain the ''ideal'' gun performa nce are discussed. Plasma-propellant interaction study results are als o discussed.