Numerical and Experimental Analysis of Drag and Lift Forces on a Bullet Head

Abstract

The bullet head plays a principal role in the modern enlargement of an efficient bullet. A bullet’s main design parameters depend upon the lift and drag forces acting on the head. The factors in a bullet’s shape design that affect bullets’ lift and drag forces are essential in aerodynamics, especially in ballistics. Therefore, the effect of wind on the lift and drag forces acting on the bullet, and the role of the bullet head to allow the bullet to travel efficiently through the wind, need to be investigated. This work discusses the parameters that affect the lift and drag force on the bullet. Simulations are performed in Ansys Fluent by varying the key parameters of the bullet head, i.e., the length and angle of attack, while keeping the air velocity at 5.2 m/s. The simulation outcome shows that the size of the bullet and the angle of attack are important factors related to the drag force. Therefore, this work predicts the inspection of a bullet under distinct wind conditions. An evaluation is performed to scrutinize the effect of design factors on the system execution of the bullet and its constructive flight path. It is concluded that when increasing the length of the bullet and its angle of attack (AOA), the drag force and lift forces increase drastically, contributing to the inefficiency of the bullet’s accuracy and penetrating power. A new design is also proposed in which the drag forces are reduced to the minimum.