Solid propellant combustion in the presence of photoirradiation

Abstract

Previous studies of the nonsteady processes associated with the irradiation of propellants with light have chiefly been devoted to the question of ignition [1–3]. It is also important to consider the effect of such an easily controlled influence as light on the propellant combustion process. We have attempted to estimate the dependence of the propellant burning rate on the intensity of the luminous radiation. Cases of steady-state combustion and combustion in the presence of a light flux varying harmonically with time are considered. It is assumed that the incident light flux is absorbed in the solid phase in accordance with the Bouguer-Lambert exponential law with constant transparency index. Steady-state combustion is considered within the framework of the Zel'dovich theory [4]. It is shown that in the steady state irradiation is equivalent to a certain increase in the initial temperature of the propellant. In the case of combustion with irradiation this makes it possible to use the data on steady-state combustion without irradiation. Nonsteady combustion in the presence of a periodically varying light flux is described with the aid of the Novozhilov model [5]. A correction to the mean burning rate (Δu °), proportional to the square of the light flux amplitude, is obtained. In the case of an exponential dependence of the burning rate on initial temperature the correction Δu ° is negative. The effect of irradiation on the stability of the steady-state propellant combustion mode is discussed.