Numerical Simulation and Analysis of Muzzle Flow During a Rarefaction Wave Gun Firing

Abstract

AbstractRarefaction wave gun can significantly reduce the recoil and the barrel heat without affecting projectile velocity during the launching process. This paper aims to improve the understanding of the muzzle flow characteristics during a rarefaction wave gun firing and clarify the different ballistic behaviors between the rarefaction wave gun and the traditional gun. First, the mathematical models and the numerical methods of the muzzle flow with the interior ballistic process were established. Then, the numerical simulation results were compared with the experimental data to validate the reliability and accuracy. Next, the rarefaction wave propagation behavior was described, and the interior ballistic process of the rarefaction wave gun was compared with that of the traditional gun. Then the development law of the muzzle flow field for the rarefaction wave gun coupled with the interior ballistics process was studied. Finally, the different detailed results of the muzzle flow between the traditional gun and the rarefaction wave gun were investigated. The development processes of the muzzle flow in both guns are generally similar, but the strength of the main flow parameters and the ballistic performances for the rarefaction wave gun are smaller than that for the traditional gun due to the rarefaction wave influence. This paper could provide a valuable reference for the research and design on the rarefaction wave gun.