Combustion performance of surface-deterred gun propellants with varied deterrent contents

Abstract

This paper explores how the combustion performance of surface-deterred granular gun propellants relates to the deterrent content to further improve combustion progressivity and low temperature sensitivity. Five types of propellants with different deterrent contents are prepared with the surface deterring technology. Through the analysis of explosion heat and experimental data from closed bomb tests, we investigate the energetic and static combustion properties of the propellants. Results show that the deterred propellants have a higher combustion progressivity than the blank propellant, and as the deterrent content increases, the progressive index increases gradually. In addition, the maximum pressure measured by closed bomb tests is linearly related to the deterrent content. At high temperatures, the average absolute values of the temperature coefficients of relative activity for surface-deterred propellants are lower than that for the blank propellant, indicating better low temperature sensitivity of surface-deterred gun propellants at high and normal temperatures.