Numerical modeling and investigation of two-phase reactive flow in a high-low pressure chambers system

Abstract

A high-low pressure chambers system is proposed to meet the demands of low launch acceleration for informative equipment in many special fields such as Aeronautics, Astronautics and Weaponry. A two-dimensional two-phase flow numerical model is established to describe the complex physical process based on a modified two-fluid theory, which takes into account gas production, interphase drag, intergranular stress, and heat transfer between two phases. In order to reduce the computational cost, the parameters in the high-pressure chamber at the instant the vent-holes open are calculated by the zero-dimensional model as the initial conditions for the two-phase flow simulation in the high-low pressure chambers system. The simulation results reveal good agreement with the experiments and the launch acceleration of a projectile can be improved by this system. The propellant particles can be tracked clearly in both chambers and a strong packing of particles at the base of projectile will cause the pressure to rise faster than at other areas both in the axis and radial directions. The length–diameter ratio of the high-pressure chamber (a typical multi-dimensional parameter) is investigated. Different length–diameter ratios can affect the maximum pressure drop and the loss of total pressure impulse through the vent-hole, then the muzzle velocity and the launch acceleration of projectiles can be influenced directly. This article puts forward a new prediction tool for the understanding and design of transient processes in high-low pressure chambers system.