Energy Low Detonation Temperature Propellant Research

Gun with high muzzle velocity and high performances is an important goal of military powers. However, today propellants manufactured and equipped to these guns are far from the demands on energy, ablation and combustion performances which are required by modern guns. Obviously, it is very meaningful to develop propellants with high energy and low explosion temperature for new guns.The article deeply researched on explosion temperature and combustion performances of two kinds of propellants, which are modified single-base propellant and modified TEGN propellant. Formulas of modified single-base propellant was determined by theoretical analysis and three-base-propellant semi-solvent process and its improved process were adopted to fabricate modified single-base propellant; NG in TEGN propellant was replaced by RDX, then the modified TEGN propellant was obtained. Thermodynamics and combustion performances of two propellants were respectively studied by closed bomb tests; finally, ballistic simulation programs were applied to predict interior ballistic performances of the two propellants.Results of closed bomb tests demonstrated that propellant force of modified single-base propellant containing 14% RDX was 1076 kJ/kg and its explosion temperature is 3382 K; Modified TEGN propellant has a regular pattern of that its propellant force and explosion temperature become higher with a growing of RDX in its formula. Modified TEGN propellant with 17.5% RDX had a propellant force of 1065.9 kJ/kg, which is 6.2% lower than that of TEGN propellant, and its explosion temperature is 2876 K,533 K lower than TEGN propellant's.Results of interior ballistic simulation indicated muzzle velocity could be enhanced by increasing propellant force. When fixing pm=274.2MPa by mediate thickness of a propellant, modified single-base propellant with a propellant force of 1076 kJ/kg had a muzzle velocity of 900.2 m·s-1 which is 20.3 m·s-1 than that of a single-base propellant, and the modified TEGN propellant had a 911.8 m·s-1 muzzle velocity,5 m·s-1 lower than that of TEGN propellant, corresponding to a propellant force of 1065kJ/kg.