An Implicit Numerical Analysis for Two-Dimensional Turbulent Interior Ballistic Flows

Abstract

Abstract : A two-dimensional implicit interior ballistic computer code (ALPHA) has been developed to solve the turbulent two-phase flow in a gun tube beginning with primer discharge and ending with the projectile exiting the tube. The detailed prediction of flow properties in a gun barrel during firing would aid in the understanding and prevention of both gun barrel erosion and catastrophic gun failures. The governing partial differential equations and constitutive relations are presented for the two-phase, axisymmetric, turbulent flow in a gun tube with a rotating projectile. Results have been obtained for the two- dimensional, two-phase flow in a gun tube with a noncombusting particulate phase. The initial conditions for this case were uniform except for a small gas phase region near the projectile base. The computed results obtained demonstrate the feasibility of making two-dimensional, two-phase predictions for the flow in a gun tube. This procedure also provides a framework for the development and evaluation of two-phase flow turbulence models and constitutive relations which are appropriate for a multidimensional prediction scheme.