Lifetime Numerical Prediction of Solid Rocket Motors with HTPB Binder Based Propellants Using a Multiscale Model

摘要

A multiscale model has been developed and implemented in the commercial code ANSYS FLUENT in order to predict the temporal evolution of the Mechanical Properties (MP) of Hydroxyl-Terminated PolyButadiene (HTPB) binder based propellants filling Solid Rocket Motors (SRM). For these propellants, a reliable ageing model has indeed to go from molecular scale, where both chemical and physical ageing processes take place, up to macroscopic scale where the MP evolution has to be predicted. The connection between these two scales is obtained using structure-property relationships in polymers and experimental measurements done by propellant manufacturer. Assessing the MP of aged propellants, lifetime prediction of these SRM becomes therefore possible.