Numerical Study on Internal Ballistics Characteristics of a Solid Propellant Rocket Motor

Authors

  • RAČKAUSKAS Saulius Kaunas University of Technology, Faculty of Mechanical engineering and Design, 54 Studentų Str., LT-51424 Kaunas, Lithuania
  • FEDARAVIČIUS Algimantas Kaunas University of Technology, Faculty of Mechanical engineering and Design, 54 Studentų Str., LT-51424 Kaunas, Lithuania
  • SURVILA Arvydas Kaunas University of Technology, Faculty of Mechanical engineering and Design, 54 Studentų Str., LT-51424 Kaunas, Lithuania

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5755/j01.mech.25.3.23742

Keywords:

rocket motor, solid propellant, internal ballistics, numerical methods

Abstract

The viability of numerical simulations to design a solid propellant rocket motor, as opposed to static testing, is discussed in this paper. The results demonstrate that an objectively more detailed insight into the processes taking place within the motor in active combustion can be gained by employing computer simulations. The abundance of readily available computing power allows complex simulations to be run on personal desktop computers, thus, saving money by eliminating the need for static testing during the design phase of the motor. The computer simulation results are validated by a comparison with test data gathered during static tests on the motor. In this study, an RM-12K solid propellant rocket motor is designed and developed, which is currently used in real-world air defence training applications, and therefore, sufficient empirical data are available. The numerical method, based on computer simulations using personal computers, is sufficiently accurate to allow for motor design decisions and an adequate substitute for static testing. Even though a single simulation can take up to 715 h on an 8-core personal machine, it is still an effective solution.

Author Biographies

RAČKAUSKAS Saulius, Kaunas University of Technology, Faculty of Mechanical engineering and Design, 54 Studentų Str., LT-51424 Kaunas, Lithuania

Kaunas University of Technology, Faculty of Mechanical engineering and Design, 54 Studentų Str., LT-51424 Kaunas, Lithuania

FEDARAVIČIUS Algimantas, Kaunas University of Technology, Faculty of Mechanical engineering and Design, 54 Studentų Str., LT-51424 Kaunas, Lithuania

Kaunas University of Technology, Faculty of Mechanical engineering and Design, 54 Studentų Str., LT-51424 Kaunas, Lithuania

SURVILA Arvydas, Kaunas University of Technology, Faculty of Mechanical engineering and Design, 54 Studentų Str., LT-51424 Kaunas, Lithuania

Kaunas University of Technology, Faculty of Mechanical engineering and Design, 54 Studentų Str., LT-51424 Kaunas, Lithuania

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Published

2019-07-01

Issue

Vol. 25 No. 3 (2019)

Section

MECHANICS OF FLUIDS AND GASES