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

摘要

This report investigates and quantifies the requirements for increasingperformance (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.